


But the Pack Survives

by Sansaismyhomie



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate season 8, Angst, Canon Universe, Dany is the villain, Dark Dany, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Not Daenerys friendly!!!, Protective Jon, Sansa Centric, Starks stick together, Vague References to Past Abuse, lots of it!!!, trial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-10-10 21:34:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 29,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17433920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sansaismyhomie/pseuds/Sansaismyhomie
Summary: People seem to want Daenerys to burn Sansa and think the North and the Starks will be fine with that.I think differently, so this is my take on what could happen if Daenerys tries to flex her authority by threatening Sansa.Jon will show up but not right away, because this is mainly a story focusing on Sansa.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic and I’m not sure if this is any good or if I tagged it correctly so please let me know if I should change things, I don’t want to offend anyone. 
> 
> English is my first and only language I’m just not very good at it ;) This was not prof-read and probably has many mistakes, please forgive me.

Sansa could not remember the last time she had a good nights sleep. After everything she had been through nothing in her life was as simple as it used to be, but sleep was one of those unseen consequences, well unseen to everyone but her. So the fact that the faint sound of footsteps woke her was no surprise, however as she began to take in her surrounding her suspicion and unease began to rear its ugly head.

It was to early in the morning for the maids to be coming to make a fire, as there is a gentle warmth still in the room and her guess was that it had only been an hour or so since it went out. It also couldn’t be a changing of the guards since Brienne knew she was a light sleeper and either had the same soldier stand guard all night or would do it herself.

Something was wrong, her entire body could sense it in the air. There was more muffled noise, now right outside her room. Slowly she reached under her pillow for the dagger hiding there. She didn’t think she needed it, and she certainly did not know how to use it, but Arya had insisted that weapons be kept in almost all the corners of Winterfell including Sansa room. Now she was glad it was there and only wish her sister would have spent time actually teaching her how to use it.

She could hear the door slowly open, the drumming of her heart and nothing else. Her mind swirled with every possibility; Cersei sending someone to kill or kidnap her, a Northern Lord sending one of their sons to dishonor her in hopes of a marriage alliance, Ramsay coming back from the dead seeking his revenge, or was it was simply her maid getting an early start on her day.

She remained in bed, covered by the layers of furs and blankets trying to keep out the cold, and pretended to be asleep with her hand firmly gripping the handle of the dagger, always prepared for the worst, as life had taught her to be.

In what seemed like an instant hands pulled at the furs above her and she swung the dagger violently hitting something hard but in the blur of flesh, furs, armor, and clothes she couldn’t tell if it had any effect on the attacker; not until she felt more hands grab her arm. She pulled away instinctually and went for another strike this time she knew she hit someone because she hears a yelp, but the mans words were not in a language that she is familiar with. Immediately after she hit one of her attackers, one of the men hit her back while another disarmed her. She kicked and tried in vain to pull her arm away again but they were better prepared this time and held on tight, so much so that her arm was starting to hurt, and the man she struck with the dagger was twisting her left arm painfully. Once they had her ripped out of bed they gaged her, stopping her from screaming for help.

Whoever was responsible wanted this done quickly and quietly. She was pulled toward her door and to her relief they were clearly not going to murder her; it gave her some comfort knowing that whatever was going to happen she could think of a plan and maybe get out of this situation mostly unscathed.

As soon as they pulled her past the threshold of her door she could feel the cold hit her body, she was still in her night clothes and even thought they were significantly warmer than the ones people in the south wear, but they were still not meant to be worn outside in the middle of winter.

All that left her mind when she saw the body laying near her door, blood already pooling around the corpse. In this moment she was grateful she had told Brienne to take the night to talk to Jaime, who had just yesterday arrived at Winterfell with out the army Cersei had promised Jon, not that she was at all surprised. Brienne was the only one she could trust to talk to Jaime and the only person Jaime trusted enough to talk to honestly; and so she was the natural choice to find out if he was really here for the reasons he claimed. Sansa felt sad for the man laying near her doorway but she had seen so many bodies that it no longer held the same effect it once had, she was glad it had not been Brienne and that was the extent of her feelings on the matter.

The halls held little light so it was still hard to make out exactly who these men were, but she could tell who they were not, they were not Westerosi. They were moving as quickly and quietly as possible with Sansa still struggling against their every move, she gave up quickly on that however. She was not her sister or Jon so there was little chance she was going to get out of this situation by force, she had to use her brain and saved her strength for a moment when she might have a chance of escaping.

Whoever these large foreign men were they eventually took her to the courtyard. Here it was brighter, even though it was still early morning, and she could finally make out the figures who had grabbed her. _These men came with the Dragon Queen._ She did not recognize their faces; however she could tell by their armor and it now made sense as to why she had never heard their language before.Daenerys and her soldiers had only been in Winterfell for a little while, but she had tried to keep her distance from both the woman and her men.

 _This does not make sense, why were these men doing this?_ Maybe Cersei had gotten to them when Jon and Daenerys went to King’s Landing. Maybe they are traitors and found Sansa appealing enough to take with them when they flea. They could not possibly be doing this under the orders of their Queen, Sansa could tell Daenerys did not like her but what reason does she have for kidnaping her.

No she must think about all the possibilities and Daenerys was mad just like her father she didn’t need a reason to kidnap Sansa. The man in front of her and the two men beside her halted. She was exhausted and scared but put on her mask of indifference and waited to be yanked or pushed again; instead the large man in front of her moved and standing on the platform on the far end of the court yard was Daenerys Targaryen.

_It is her._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trial begins and we start to see just how insecure Daenerys is (which is one of the reasons I think she is stating to let the cray slip out).
> 
> We start to see other characters but this chapter is still between Sansa and Daenerys. Two characters with compleatly different approach’s to ruling and life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is again not prof-read or edited so excuse my mistakes

Sansa was surrounded, there were Dothraki and Unsullied all around her in a large circle. It felt very similar to the trial they had for Baelish; the difference was she had done nothing wrong, well almost nothing.

 

“Sansa of House Stark Lady of Winterfell, you are here on trial.” Daenerys was not the one speaking; instead it was her lady in waiting. Missandei was smart, pretty, and loyal; to bad she was already loyal to Daenerys Targaryen.

 

“What exactly am I on trial for?” Sansa kept all the disdain out of her voice, at least she hoped she did.

 

“You are a traitor to the North and the Seven Kingdoms.” Daenerys was practically yelling, easily annoyed by Sansa calm demeanor. But she quickly pulled herself together, smoothing her hand down her coat and shaking her head lightly.

 

Sansa stayed quiet, looking strait at Daenerys waiting for her to continue, “You have been campaigning for the Northern Lords to abandon Jon and declaring you as Queen in the North. This will never happen, Jon was chosen by the people and he will remain the Warden of the North, no madder how hard you try and convince people other wise.”

 

“I don’t know what you have heard Your Grace, but I can assure you that I have not been convincing anyone of any such thing.” It was getting harder for Sansa to keep the anger out of her voice. _Keep_ _it_ _together_ , _don't_ _make_ _her_ _angry_. _Tell_ _her_ _what_ _she_ _needs_ _to_ _hear_.

 

“Are you saying the Northern Lords have not offered you the crown” she said in a mocking tone.

 

“No Your Grace, they did but as you can see I declined. The Northern Lords were just scared that their rightful ruler would die when he left for...”

 

“Rightful ruler!” Daenerys yelled.

 

“They were scared that Jon would not come back to Winterfell. That fear made them rash and as the oldest living Stark they looked to me as the next possible leader, but they were mistaken in turning their backs on him so quickly. I assure you that I am loyal to Jon and did not, as you put it, campaign for anything.”

 

“And what about Jamie Lannister?”

 

“What about him?” She said cautiously.

 

She knew this would happen, that Jamie’s presence would creat problems between her the Dragon Queen.

 

“He pledged himself to you, my Lady, in front of all the Lords and Ladies; and yet you claim you have no wishes to be queen. I am well aware that being Queen was once your biggest dream. You do not just lose those kinds of dreams, especially when you come so close to achieving them.”

 

Sansa was infuriated, how dare this foreign woman claim to know anything about her. Like an aberration appearing when talked about, Tyrion Lannister climbs the stairs onto the dais. He looked worried and out of breath, he clearly just woke up and ran here from which ever warm bed he rolled out of.

 

“Your Grace, please, if we could talk in private?” he pleaded.

 

Daenerys did not answer him instead gave him a look that Sansa is sure has been the end to many people. If it were not for his place as her Hand she is sure he would have been executed on the spot for doubting her in public.

 

Daenerys looked back to Sansa, “I am not here to kill you or anyone, I am here to save the North.”

 

Inside Sansa sighed in disbelief, how could she stand there and preach about saving people, when she was having a trial against Sansa because the Northerner respected Sansa more, loved Sansa more!

 

Sansa looked around for the first time noticing that this little play act had amassed a large crowd. Many of the servants had woken in anticipation of their day and were clearly shocked by the goings on outside. All were clearly fearful, some possibly feared for their Lady, others were probably afraid that they would be next. Many of servants were fluttering around like ravens spreading messages from place to place, going to their Lords, Ladies, and other servants in order to warn them about what was happening in the court yard. 

 

“I always give my subjects a choice, so you can bend the knee and declare me the rightful ruler of ALL Seven Kingdoms and promise that you will never attempt to rise above your station again, hand over Jamie Lannister so that he can also be put on trial and punished appropriately, or you can die.”

 

_That_ _is_ _not_ _much_ _of_ _a_ _choice,_ Sansa thought bitterly. She had heard the stories about what happened to the Tarlys and it was clearly happening again here, in her home, to her. She remembered how sad Sam was when he heard about his father and brother, and in this moment it made her wonder, who would weep for her?

 

Tyrion stepped in quickly, “Your Grace, please don't do this there are other ways to take away her power, her position and sway over the Lords .”

 

“Like what, send her to the wall, make her take The Black?” She said mockingly.

 

“No, your Grace” he already seemed dejected like he knew his pleading would go unanswered, “but if you marry her to a Lord, someone not from the North; an old enemy of the Starks. The Northern Lords would never trust her or put her in power again if she was married to an enemy of the Starks for a third time.”

 

Sansa knew that he was trying to save her from dying, but she had never hated him more than right now. _How_ _dare_ _he_ _try_ _to_ _marry_ _me_ _off_ _to_ _some_ _stranger_. _I_ _can_ _not_ _marry_ _again!_ She started to panic; her mind swirling with images of her previous marriages, the life she had before showing up at Castle Black. She did not have to think about it to long since Daenerys began to respond to Tyrion’s idea.

 

“No, I will not force others to marry as a punishment.” _Well_ _at_ _least_ _she_ _was_ _not_ _that_ _kind_ _of_ _monster_. “She can bend the knee or die. This is the same choice everyone gets and the Lady of Winterfell can make all of this go away by simply bending the knee.” Her voice raised as she continued to make her proclamations. Near the end she was not just talking to Sansa but to all the Lords who had shone up and were now standing around. Most of the Lords and the servants were standing behind the Dragon Queen’s soldiers but some were brave, or foolish, enough to push through the circle of men and stand amongst them.

 

Were they waiting to step in and save her or just getting a front row seat to her execution? She did not know and certainly could not be sure, since she did not trust any of the Lords completely.

 

Then she saw her, Arya, pushing through the Lords, servants, soldiers, and anyone else who got in her way. Right behind Arya was the new blacksmith that came north with Jon. She could tell The day he showed up with Jon that Arya knew him but had not had the opportunity to discuss it with her; and now she may never have that opportunity.

 

As soon as Arya stepped in front of the soldiers, the blacksmith grabbed her arm to stop her; but Arya was to quick for him and yanked her arm away, then turned around to scowl at him fiercely.

 

He stopped at at the edge of the crowd and do not follow her as she walked toward Sansa.

 

As she walked past Sansa, gripping Needle, Sansa shot her hand forward halting her progress toward Daenerys Targaryen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to make it clear that Tyrion is trying to save Sansa and does think that all of this is wrong (just like in the last season he is starting to doubt Daenerys as a benevolent ruler), but he still thinks he can help to steer her in the right direction. And he knows it will not do him or anyone any good if he were to defy Daenerys outright.
> 
> As for Arya, she will have more of a role in the next chapter as well as some of the other characters, but we will probably not see Jon in person until the 3rd chapter (he is coming promise!!)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trial continues
> 
> Arya and Brienne enter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been edited.

“Arya stop, don’t do this!” Sansa hissed

 

“She can not be allowed to hold trial against you. You’re not a traitor, you’ve been the only one preparing for winter and for the war.”

 

Sansa felt her heart swell; she and Arya had come to understand each other but even now it took her breath away to hear the respect and adoration in Aryas voice.

 

“If you won’t stop her I will.” Arya spat out.

 

“How? Look around Arya she has an army and dragons,” they both looked up to see the two remaining dragons circling Winterfell waiting for their mother to call upon them.

 

Sansa sighed, “I know how good you are with a sword, I’ve seen it” she could not keep the pride out of her voice and smiled sadly at Arya. “But you can not take on all of these people yourself. I need you to go...”

 

“No! I’m not leaving you here, with her. The lone wolf dies but the pack survives.”

 

It was hard to push Arya way after that, but it was Sansa responsibility to protect her family and she would not fail again. Sansa would lay down her life for them and she had to get Arya to understand that.

 

“Arya I need you to listen to me. I’m not giving up but we can’t fight our way out of this and if I die you will be the Lady of Winterfell. You have to go, you must survive this if the North is to have a chance of winning in the days ahead.”

 

“Yah right!” Arya scoffed. “I am not leaving” she was practically growling.

 

“I am trying to protect you Arya!” Sansa was frustrated and scared, her mask was on the brink of cracking and tears collected in the corner of her eyes. “Please” she begged.

 

Arya looked at Sansa, really looked, she clearly wanted to argue but instead she glared at Daenerys, then turned on her heels and walked back through the collection of people. The blacksmith followed her talking furiously, but they were to far for her to hear what they were discussing.

 

Sansa turned back to the platform to see Daenerys and Tyrion in a heated conversation. She could not make out all the words but she could clearly hear more about marriage and bending the knee, the same argument again and again. It would be better if they would just get it over with and sentence her already.

 

Sansa’s body was starting to feel the fatigue of standing in the cold for so long in nothing but her night cloths. Her wool stockings were soaked through and she could no longer feel her toes. Her body was so cold and stiff she might end up on her knees whether she wanted to or not. She was a Stark, born and raised in the north, she would not let the cold effect her; at least, she would not let people see her discomfort.

 

There was a commotion in the crowd that distracted her from the pain and then the crowd was pushed aside as more people made their way toward the middle; Brienne, Jamie, Lady Mormont and Lord Glover marched through the crowd along with several soldiers. They surrounded her, like a human shield against the Unsullied and Dothraki. Brienne knew not to stand in front of her and block her view of the Dragon Queen, so instead she stood right besides Sansa; her hand on the pommel of Oathkeeper.

 

“My Lady, I should of been at your door protecting you...” Brienne was clearly upset and speaking quickly.

 

“You did nothing wrong Brienne. I’m glad you weren’t there” Sansa grabbed her hand, “I couldn’t lose you too.”

 

Brienne lowered her voice “I came as soon as Arya informed me what was happening. I could only find so many men in time but we can fight our way out if you want.”

 

Of course Arya sent her. Sansa should have known that Arya would not just give up and hide.

 

“No that will just creat more of a problem...”

 

“Well I see you have brought all the traitors together. Lord Jamie, I’m glad you could join us.” Daenerys smiled, but it did not make her face more beautiful; it made her look like one of her children, dangerous and predatory.

 

It was Lyanna Mormont who spoke next, “Lady Sansa is of the North, so the King in the North should be here to oversee this... trial.”

 

“I will take that into consideration Lady Mormont, but as I am Queen of all Seven Kingdoms I see no person better than I to proceed over this trial, especially since Lady Sansa’s crimes are against me, her Queen. Besides I don’t think Jon could be impartial in this particular case, seeing as how the guilty party is his sister and Jon is to honorable to do what is necessary.”

 

Sansa wanted to respond with all the things that Daenerys did not know about Jon Snow, but thought better of it.

 

Besides she did not know if she wanted Jon to show up, not after their last conversation. She did not want to have it confirmed that he would watch her die if it meant pleasing his new Queen. They had not talked in three days, they were only in the same room when they had to be and she tried to never make eye contact.

 

Now that she was thinking about him, it was surprising that he had not shown up, he had to of heard about her “trial” by now; with all the people flitting from door to door spreading the news in whispered tones and nervous looks.

 

Deep down she hoped he had not heard. Maybe he was finally sleeping, she knew he has been so overwhelmed with everything that he often fell asleep at his desk. It was easier to think about him sleeping through her trial in his study, instead of the thought that he was staying always because he no longer cared about what happened to her. 

 

She would regret never being able to make up for all she said.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to portray Aryas relationship wth Sansa as closer but still tense, but I will have more scenes with them arguing and generally becoming closer. 
> 
> Next Chapter is a flashback to the fight between Sansa and Jon and it wil get nasty (not sexually) so be ware.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback to Sansa and Jon’s fight and the end of the trial. 
> 
> I posted two chapters at the same time, so if you are continuing from another time go back and read chapter 3 first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to warn everyone. Sansa is about to be a bitchy, so be forewarned if you dont like that kind of thing. I did tame the argument down because originally it was even worse in my head but I did not want to make the people who are reading and liking my story angry.

**Then** (Four Days Before)

 

Sansa was in the grain stores going through the numbers, she had never been very good at numbers but most of the non war related items were now her responsibility. She looked around one more time; not sure why since it was not like more food would magically appear the more she looked for it.

 

“You’ve been avoiding me” came a deep voice behind her.

 

Sansa’s back straitened at the sound of his voice but her heart melted.

 

“I have been busy thats all. Your Queen came with little supplies and almost no food.” She said with more of a bite than she had anticipated. Calming her nerves she continued, “I don’t know what she expected from us, but as winter is already here and the glass gardens need to be rebuilt, we barley have enough food for ourselves let alone her entire army. I am requesting more grain and supplies from the other Lords but I won’t ask for more than they can give.”

 

“It will be tough but we needed her army.”

 

“I know that Jon” she scolded.

 

They walked through the halls towards her study in silence, when they arrived at her door Jon quickly yanked it open and moved aside to let her through. Once they were both inside she offered him a drink and they sat down by the fire burning in the hearth.

 

“Sansa I know this is not how you wanted things to go” he stated slowly, cautiously.

 

She huffed in disbelief, “Not how I wanted it to go. You left to get dragon glass, something you said we needed to win the war, and you came back with a Queen.”

 

Before he could even open his mouth to explain she continued on in a fervent pace “You gave away our home! You sold Winterfell, the North, me; and for what?”

 

He sighed as if he were already exhausted with their argument “We need her dragons and her army,” he stated yet again.

 

“Are you sure thats all it was about?” Sansa asked tartly.

 

“What are you implying?”

 

So he was going to act the fool, the northern fool, that was fine she would not let him off the hook, not yet.

 

“I know you bent the knee for her armies, her dragons, but how much of your choice had to do with your wish to fall into her bed?”

 

“What... How... That is non of your business” he was angry, not just brooding or sad as he had been before but visibly shaken by her remark; and she reveled in it, knowing that he was as uncomfortable as she was when she found out. No his feelings did not match hers, not yet.

 

Sansa laughed, just a little, and it was like bile rising in her throat.

“I lived in Kings Landing for year, I was married to Tyrion Lannister while my hand maiden was his mistress. I am well versed in the looks between lovers and she has not taken her eyes off you since you arrived. I must know did you bend the knee before or after falling between her legs?”

 

“What does that matter?” He demanded.

 

Why did it matter to her? He was her brother and yet ever since Lord Baelish brought up the possibility of their union she could not help but have a heart sinking feeling any time Daenerys and Jon were brought up in the same conversation. When she found out that they had slept together she had been enraged, throwing most of the contents from her desk to the ground in a fit of pure hatred, not for Jon but the woman who has seduced him.

 

Even in this moment she wanted so mush to cry, run away, to slap Jon hard across the face, but an even deeper feeling was rising, the need to kiss him, to wrap him in her arm and never let go. These feelings made her even angrier, how could she feel this way? Was she broken? Had all her previous marriages distorted what love was? Had she spent to much time with Cersei and Jamie? What was wrong with her?

 

These questions swirling around in her head and her heart; and the more she sat with her thoughts the greater the need to lash out against the person who brought on these feelings.

 

“I told you to be smarter than Robb, but instead you fell into the same trap he did. He abandoned me because of lusty pursuits and now you are doing the same thing, except you gave up the whole damn North to her.”

 

“Robb did not give up on you” he barked over her, “he fell in love.”

 

With ice in her eyes and fire in her heart she huffed, “Love? No, he was moved by lust and only married her because he had to much honor to do what you did!”

 

They were standing a hairs breath apart glaring into each others eyes with chest heaving and fist balled by their sides. They stood like that for what seemed like an eternity.

 

Sansa broke in that moment and asked the one question she vowed never to ask “Do you love her?”

 

Jon did not answer instead he turned and walked away, all but confirming her question.

 

She let herself truly fall apart in that moment; falling to the floor, the crumpled up remains of the girl she once was. She wept for the first time since she ran from Winterfell many moons ago.

 

**Present**

 

More Northern Lords had stepped into the circle to protect Sansa, but it did not seem to bother Daenerys. She kept monologuing as if nothing was happening.

 

Sansa on the other hand was in severe pain, it was as if she were wading in the icy river with Theon again, her legs and arms were going numb and she could no longer hear what Daenerys was saying clearly, but instead it was like she was listening to everything under water.

 

Then the crowd parted like water around a rock. She tried to focus on why people had moved aside and saw Ghost stalking towards her. That makes sense she thought to herself happily, many people were still nervous around Ghost, and the foreign army was down right terrified of him.

 

But there, behind Ghost, was the real reason everyone moved aside. Jon was marching right at her; with Arya right behind him. She found him, Sansa thought wistfully.As soon as Jon got within arms distance her whole body gave out and she began to collapse; but she did not hit the cold ground, instead she was rapped in warmth as Jon draped his furs over her shoulders and hoisted her into his arms.

 

With one arm under her knees and the other at her back, he began to walk away from the mass of people and Daenerys Targaryen. Sansa could vaguely hear Daenerys screeching at them to stop, but as Jon walked farther way from her and as Sansa began to lose conscience, the sounds coming from Daenerys and the sounds coming from above her became more like one, combined in horrendous harmony.

 

Jon stopped and looked over at Davos, and she could feel the rumble of his chest when he spoke, “Bring Daenerys to my study immediately.”

 

He looked down at her with concern in his eye and whispered “Everything is going to be ok,” and with that the world went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope people understand that Sansa is angry and lashing out. I love Sansa and think she is wonderful but we all get mad and I want to make it clear that she is still the stories good guy but we all have our bad guy moments!!
> 
> Also I ove Robb but I’m still hanging onto the anger that his greatest down fall was a woman he should not of married and that definitely came through in this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa wakes up and talks with Arya about what has been going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took me so long, I had planed to post two chapters again but this took me longer than I thought and the next chapter is taking me even longer so I thought I would post this while I work on the next one.
> 
> I have also gotten behind in responding to comments, but I promise I will try to go back and respond when I get a chance, just know that I appreciate all the comments and love that I have received and that I read all the comments even if I have not responded yet. 
> 
> Again this chapter has not been edited.

Sansa blinked away the sleep from her eye as a rush of bright light invaded her senses. She tried to shield her eyes and sit up but he body was so stiff that she immediately let out a groan of discomfort.

 

“Sansa don’t try to move. I’ll run and get Sam for you” she heard the voice but it was so quiet and far away sounding that she could not tell who it was.

 

She had to get her self together. Taking a few deep breaths and blinking again trying to establish her vision, things began to appear more clear. She was in her room again; with a fire blazing and Brienne standing close to her bed. Arya came rushing in with Sam, which means it must have been her voice Sansa heard earlier.

 

“Sansa, how do you feel.” Sam enquirer gently, like he was afraid that even asking a simple question would shatter her into a million pieces.

 

“I’m fine Sam, just a little stiff. Can I get some water?” This was the first time she had spoken since she passed out and her throat was on fire.

 

“Of course” Sam looking back at Brienne who had already moved to fill a cup, “but take it slow.”

 

Brienne came closer and put the cup up to her mouth but Sansa as afraid it would spill everywhere if she tried to drink in her current state of recline, so she tried again to sit up. Her body still ached but with a light hand from Sam she was able to sit up and take the water for herself.

 

“Maybe some broth might be good for you too” Sam stated as the maid Sansa had not realized was in the room scurried away to do Sam’s biding.

 

“How long have I been asleep?” Sansa inquired. She would have a lot to do if she had been asleep as long as she expected from the way everyone spoke to her nervously.

 

“Only a day” Arya said like that was going to make her feel better, “but what a long day it was.”

 

“I need to get up. I need to address the Lords and figure out the next step. I need to talk to Jon. Where is Daenerys? What has been going on?” Sansa had a hundred more questions but she was stopped by Sam.

 

“Sansa please you need rest, you had been standing out in the snow for a hour before Jon got you and you were not wearing very appropriate cloth for this kind of weather.”

 

Sansa was well aware about what she had been wearing when she was yanked out of bed and forced into the elements of the Winterfell court yard. Maybe that is why Daenerys had chosen the court yard, she had hoped the discomfort of being cold would have broken Sansa’s spirt and forced her to bent the knee.

 

“No I have to much to do. I can not just hide away in this room waiting for things to start falling apart” she stated firmly.

 

“Can every leave and give us a moment in private... now” Sansa was surprised to hear Arya use such a ladylike voice, well at least until the last word, which came out much more Arya.

 

“Of course, but please My Lady, stay in bed for a bit longer and rest. I’ll be back to check on you later.”

 

“I will wait out side with Jamie, just call if you need me.”

 

Once everyone left Arya plopped down on the bed next to Sansa. Sansa sat up a little taller waiting for Arya to inform her on everything that had gone on when she had been unconscious.

 

“Sansa you used to be such a good listener” Arya mocked, “I’m sure Sam wished you would be more obedient. So would Brienne to be honest.”

 

“Arya please, tell me what has happened.”

 

“We have it handled, you should rest like Sam said. He thinks it is a miracle that you did not get frostbite, I told him we should take off a toe just for good measure” Sansa yanked her foot up trying to feel for any missing toes “don’t worry, he said it was not necessary.”

 

Sansa knew Arya was teasing her, as she had done for their entire life’s, but she also seemed genuinely concerned that something bad could of happened to her.

 

“Were you concerned for me Arya?” Sansa tried to tease back but it seemed to set Arya off.

 

“Of course I was, but your to stupid to understand. You are not the only one who is willing to do anything for our family. You don’t get to decide when people are aloud to care about you.” Sansa tried to interject but Arya just jumped off the bed and continued as she paced around the room yelling. “You sent me away because you think you are the only one who gets to protect the family, like you are less important than the rest of us but your not!”

 

Arya stopped pacing and looked at Sansa, “I know you think because you failed to save father that you can make up for it by dying for one of us but that is not how this works. The pack survives and that means we all have to protect each other...Why did you try and send me away?”

 

“I just wanted you to be safe. Daenerys was not after you, she was after me, and if you had disappeared she would not of gone after you.”

 

“You think your disposable Sansa but your not. Do you know who had to talk to the Lords after you passed out? Me, and it is only luck that their still alive. You would of settled them down, I’m pretty sure I just riled them up.”

 

“What do you mean?” Sansa knew that the Northern Lords would be mad but she needed to know how mad they were and now she needed to know what Arya had said to them in her absence.

 

“They wanted to execute Daenerys and start a war with her people... and I do not exactly disagree with them-”

 

“Arya, we can’t have another war with the Night King so close.”

 

“I know, I know. I told them that we needed to be patient and wait for you and Jon come up with a plan bla bla bla.”

 

Sansa could not help but smile at Arya’s youthful behavior, but her child like gleam was quickly dampened when she looked at Sansa with tears in her eyes.

 

“We could of lost you, and then what would we do? Jon is a solider, a commander an he’s good at it, Bran knows things I guess, although this would of been a useful thing to of seen before hand, and me well I’m good a lots of things, except talking to people it appears. You said to me that cutting of head was not the way you get people to work together; and that is your part, in our pack, you get people to work together. You would have said all the right things to the Lord to make them understand, I will never be as good a Lady as you.”

 

Sansa reached out to catch Aryas hand, “I promise I’ll never send you away when I’m in need again. I’m sorry Arya.”

 

Arya looked skeptically at her but shrugged her shoulder in agreement.

 

“Now, will you help me to my desk please?” Sansa asked.

 

Arya snorted but put a shoulder under her arm and helped her out of bed and across the room to the chair near her desk.

 

“Now can you tell me what else has happened?” Sansa needed to know where Jon was and since he was never in the stories Arya had just gone over she was getting nervous.

 

“Jon brought you in here and called for Sam. He waited until Sam told him you would be ok, but after that he locked himself and that woman in his study; all we could hear was yelling. I tried to sneak around and find out what they were saying but I had to go take care of the Lords.”

 

“No one knows what is being discussed?”

 

“Tyrion does, he was allowed in once they settled down and stopped screaming at each other. They locked themself’s up in that room so long I almost thought they had killed each other. But early this morning Daenerys was allowed to go back to her room, apparently Jon wanted her locked up over night, so she couldn’t try anything, but Tyrion made some peace deal. I still think that the only way to stop her is to kill her, but Jon wouldn’t listening to me.”

 

“No, Jon seems not to listen to anybody” Sansa said, it upset her that he never listened to her although this time she was glad he did not seem to listen to Arya either.

“Where is he now?”

 

“He was outside your door all night along with Brienne, Jamie, Podrick, and a hand full of soldiers from the Vale; I know it was a little much but again no one listens to me. This morning he met with Tyrion again, I think he’s still their.”

 

Sansa wondered how long it would take him to come see her. Would he come see her at all or just wait until she showed up at some meeting? Did he blame her for this? Does he agree with Daenerys, that she was trying to take the crown for herself? She had to stop thinking about him and change the subject before Arya catches on to the thoughts in Sansa head.

 

“That man I saw you with, who is he?” Arya did not respond just looked at her, “You know the one who came with Jon and Daenerys?”

 

“Gendry.”

 

Sansa smirked to herself, Arya liked him she could tell by the lightest hint of a blush when she mentioned his name. She waited for Arya to tell her more but their conversation was cut of but the knock at the door. Brienne opened it allowing the maid to enter with a bowl of broth and some bread.

 

“I should go, I have a lot to do now that your useless” Arya teased.

 

Sansa laughed quietly “Just don't make things worse.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> same day as the last chapter

Sansa finished the broth, it seemed to do some good, she could feel herself warming up from the inside and her body was much less stiff. Sam had come back to see her, he wanted her to stay in her bed for a couple of days; in the end they agreed she would not leave the warmth of her room but only for the rest of the day. As much as she would’ve liked to rest, she simply could not hide away during this pivotal time for her people.

 

It had clearly spread that she was up, since she heard Brienne turn away several Lords and Ladies who came to see her. Whether to check on her health or complain about what was happening, she did not know or care; for now at least. Brienne and Jamie were given orders that only five people were to gain access to Lady Sansa: Arya, Bran, Sam, Gilly and Jon.

 

Sansa had been spending a lot of time with Gilly since she and Sam showed up a month ago. Sansa loved sitting in a warm room with Gilly and baby Sam, she felt at home with them; similarly to the way she felt around Shay before she left Kings Landing.

 

Baby Sam reminded her of her dreams, dreams she thought she had forgotten after marring Tyrion. She was a stupid girl, with stupid dreams, who never learns; but sitting with Sam and Gilly made her want it all again, the husband, the kids. Someone to love her and someone for her to love. She sighed knowing it would never come true, at-least not with the person that consumed her thoughts. 

 

There was a knock on her door, and she looked over her shoulder from the paper she had been studying. Her uncle the Black Fish was heading to help in their fight if they could help him after the war gain back Riverrun, which she very much wanted to do, but would have to discuss it with Jon before she responded.

 

There at her door was Brienne and Jon. She stood at the sight of Jon looked at him. There was tension in the air, so much so she was chocking on it. The longer they stood their in silents the harder it was for her to breath.

 

“Brienne could you leave us” Jon finally asked.

 

Brienne stood their defiantly, arms crossed across her body. She looked to Sansa waiting for her command.

 

“It’s ok Brienne, just wait outside for me” Sansa added a small smile in reassurance.

 

Brienne headed out but looked at Jon, “I’ll be right outside.”

 

Once the door closed Jon practically ran to her, rapping his arms around her like they were back at Castle Black; it took her by surprise but she could not stop herself from immediately melting into his chest and hugging him back. 

 

“I’m sorry, so sorry. This is all my fault.” She could hear the pain in his voice, like he was sobbing.

 

She pulled away enough to look him in the eyes, “You did not know this would happen, you did what you thought was right” she said in the most soothing voice could.

 

He left her arms and turned his back to her, and she felt empty and cold. Every time she tried to get closer to him he pulled away. Is this how their relationship would always be?

 

“I put you in danger and I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

 

“I told you once that you couldn’t protect me” she moved around so that she stood in front of him, “and every step you have proved me wrong, you always protect me and you always will. You can not blame yourself for Daenerys action.”

 

“I believed that if I listened to you it would make me less of a King, but I don't know what to do” he finally said looking defeated.

 

“We will figure it out, together. First tell me what you said to her yesterday.”

 

“I told her that she was lucky she still had a head... and that if she ever touched you or any of my family again not even dragons could stop me from killing her.” He was so angry his face was getting red and his fits was balled up in preparation to lash out on the figure that was not in this room. “After a while she seemed to understand that what she did was wrong, but was not sorry about it. I cant believe she would do something like this in my home, after what we did...” he stopped suddenly after he realized what he had said.

 

It hit Sansa heart like a spear to the chest hearing him talk about their sexual relationship in such high regards, but there were more important things to discuss. She could not move past it until she knew for sure though what was going on between them.

 

“Do you love her?” Her voice was barely audible but she knew he heard her when his eye shot open as if she has smacked him.

 

“No... I thought maybe I could, but I don’t. I was lonely and I did like her, there was a connection we had... But I can promise you it was not love” his response rushed out of him like he had been holding it in since the last time she had asked. When he was finished he took a deep breath trying to control his breathing.

 

“There is something I have to tell you, sit” he swept his hand out motioning for her to sit in the chair she left when her had entered. He sat across from her looking anywhere but at her.

 

After a moment of silence he began to speak slowly, quietly as if he knew these next words would change everything for them, “I am not a Stark...”

 

“Yes you are...” She quickly jumped in before her cut he off to continue talking.

 

“No, I am not a Stark. Our father, your father... My mother was Lyanna Stark and my father was Rhaegar Targaryen. Ned brought me back after my mother died and lied to everyone in order to keep me safe.”

 

“Who told you this...are you sure that it’s true” her response must have disappointed him because he stopped looking at her as soon as she spoke, but he answered her anyway.

 

“Bran told me the day I got back...”

 

“Bran?”

 

“Yes he said he saw it, in one of her visions, and then Sam confirmed. Sam found a masters journal that talked about marrying them in the South.”

 

“Married them? You mean your the legitimate heir to the Targaryen throne.” She could hardly believe this, it was one scenario she had not considered. Then the panic sunk in “We need to keep this quiet, Daenerys can’t know that you have a stronger claim than her.”

 

“She she already knows,” he said firmly.

 

“Why would you tell her.” Sansa was practically yelling, she did not understand why he would be so stupid. “She tried to kill me because the Northern Lords prefers me over her, and that was only one of the Seven Kingdoms. Imagine what she would do to you if all the people look to you to be their rightful ruler instead of her. If the Northern Lord are any indication, people are not going to welcome her rule with open arms.”

 

He sighed, “I had to tell her to protect you.”

 

“What?” Her eye widened and mouth fell open. How could this possibly protect her; and more importantly how was she going to protect him?

 

“I informed her that we couldn’t keep this a secret, a secret of this size always find a way out, but I could either abdicate and stay in the North or accept my place as the King of the Seven Kingdoms as the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen; it just depended on her. If she goes after anyone here again I won’t abdicate.”

 

“Do you want to be King?”

 

“I didn’t even ask to be King in the North... I could never be King of...” he finally let his exhaustion show through, he closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair.

 

Sansa got out of her chain and knelt in front of Jon taking his hands, “Look at me,” he opened his eyes, they were sad but aware. “You are still a Stark, Ned may not be your father but he raised you to be a Stark; you have Stark blood running through your veins. I know you think your lost, but we are sill your family, cousins or siblings it doesn’t matter. You are both a Stark and a Targaryen, just like I am Stark and Tully, and the Tully motto is Family, Duty, Honor; family first.”

 

He had already perked up. She finally said the right thing, the exact thing he needed to hear. She knew he had always wanted to be a Stark and she always made him feel the lest like one, out of her siblings; but now she could say with the greatest sincerity that he was the Stark they needed.

 

She continued, “Daenerys might respect your threat for now, but we will need to think of something to ensure that she will continue to keep her distance without leaving us to die.”

 

“I know.”

 

“We should continue like normal, we have to much coming to focus on this now, keep planing for the war. That is still the biggest threat and needs to be taken care of; unlike Daenerys the Night King won’t stop because of a threat concerning the Iron Throne.”

 

He smiled at her, “You would know better than I” he teased. He had been hanging out with Arya to much.

 

“Stop teasing,” she laughed lightly, “I’ve listened to you, and trust you, that’s all.”

 

Her hands were warm in his, but now with the silents she was aware of more than just warmth. The need to touch him radiated through out her body. She pulled her hand away and stood up.

 

“We need to talk the Lords, reassure them that everything will go on as planed and that we have worked out the misunderstanding between Daenerys and I.”

 

“Misunderstanding,” he scoffed “you think they will believe that?”

 

“Maybe not, but they will follow our direction; if we move past it so will they. We don't need them to trust her, or bend the knee to her; we just need them to follow you into battle.”

 

He looked up from his seat and she could see pride in his eye; it made her feel like she could fly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter, Jonsa is a slow slow burn in this but it will be coming. 
> 
> I am starting school again next week so it might are me longer to update but I will try to keep up. (Also sorry about the singe chapter again, but my chapters are getting longer so hopefully that helps)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next one are sorter so I am posting two at a time.

Sansa’s mind was spinning after Jon left her. She needed to figure out a plan and fast; she knew that Daenerys would not wait long to strike against them.

 

She could hear voices outside her door, it was odd because she knew that most of the Lords had already come to see her and had been sent away. She pressed her ear against the door, her heart was racing; she realized that she was scared. So many terrible things had happen to her since she left her home as a child that she thought nothing would bother her anymore, apparently she was wrong; she could feel the fear of being kidnaped all over again.

 

Her fear soon dissipated when she recognized the muffled voices outside.

 

“Let me in for just a minute.”

 

“No, Lady Stark is not seeing anyone.” Brienne said firmly.

 

“Especially not you,” Jamie added with a bite of hostility.

 

“Jamie please..”

 

She stopped their arguing by opening the door, “Lord Tyrion, please come in.”

 

Both Brienne and Jamie stepped toward Sansa, blocking the doorway with out taking their eyes of Tyrion. She set her hand on Brienne’s shoulder who moved aside just enough so that Tyrion could squeeze between them.

 

She closed the door behind him, leaving her vigilant guards outside.

 

“My Lady” he said.

 

“Please Tyrion, call me Sansa; we were married.” He nodded at he knowingly.

 

“I see you found your own hounds” Tyrion laughed sarcastically.

 

“They have reason to worried about me; your queen made that certain” she retorted, halting his laughter.

 

“I came here to apologize.”

 

“Why? Was it your idea to kidnap and put me on trial, all because of a perceived slight?” She asked with all the sweetest she could muster, although her voice was laced with contempt.

 

“Daenerys has been under stress and was not expecting the North to be so... cold to her...” he smiled at his own cleverness, he must be drunk as usual.

 

“You mean she was not prepared to have to earn the respect of her people” there was force behind her words.

 

He looked around unsettled, “The Queen did what she thought was right at the time but has since reconsidered her rash actions.” Sansa could feel her eyes rolling. “But I’m not just here to apologize for her actions. I’m here to apologize for what I said.”

 

Sansa looked at him with confusion, which must of spurred him on “About marriage” he answered her unasked question.

 

Sansa took a deep breath to still her reaction, “If you’re sorry, why did you do it.”

 

“I was trying to save you.”

 

“I heard about what happened to the Tarlys, you spoke up for them too from what I understand” she waited for him to respond.

 

“Yes I did, but they chose to die.”

 

Sansa looked at him suspiciously, “You continue to defend her, even when she makes choices you publicly fight against. You stood up for the Tarlys because you knew what she was doing was wrong; then you did the same for me. Wouldn’t you prefer a ruler you didn’t have to make excuses for.”

 

“I don’t think there is such a ruler.” It was a simple answer but she waited for him to continue. “I’ve heard things too. You know about voicing you dissent.” He looked at her smugly.

 

She had to admit he was the only one in Winterfell who continued to surprise her; well that was not completely true, she could not of foreseen Jon’s secret. But Tyrion was the only one who surprised her with his wit and knowledge. He knew how to play the game, a game she knew to well.

 

“There is a difference between trying to save Jon and trying save people From Jon. I did not want Jon to leave Winterfell, your Queen does not have a good reputation unfortunately” they grinned at each other, waiting for the other to break first.

 

Instead Tyrion moved to leave...

 

“Tyrion... when you suggested I marry, were you thinking abut yourself.”

 

“Of course not, Sansa” he answered slowly as he opened the door and disappeared.

 

Brienne peaked in before the door closed all the way and she was alone again.

 

Marriage! That just may be her answer, but could she do it again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually always liked Tyrion and Sansa interactions so I wanted to add a bit about them together.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted two at the same time so make sure you read 7 first.

The chill in the air made Sansa feel at home. She sat under the Weirwood with Bran in his chair next to her. They had not spoken since she sat down beside him but it no longer felt strange. Bran may not be the same, none of them were, but he was still her brother and she was happy he was alive and would take him however he came.

 

It had been several days since she had been ripped out of bed and put on trial; people still treated her with care and concern, but she went about Winterfell doing everything she needed to do. She knew there was little time before she would face off against Daenerys again but for now the Dragon Queen seems to always be anywhere but near Sansa; it made her nervous, at least if she was in the same room Sansa could anticipate the next move.

 

Out of the corner of her eye she could see a flash of fur, Ghost has not been far from her side anytime she left the confines her room. She found comfort in him always being by her side, silent and aware. Ghost was the perfect companion, unlike Brienne he did not constantly ask how she was doing, and he did not stare at her the way Jamie did; she loved the people around her, but Ghost made her feel excepted, at peace, in a way she had not felt since Lady.

 

He stalked closer to her and she immediately buried her hand into his warm snowy white fur. He had blood around his mouth as red as his eyes; Sansa took a handkerchief out and wiped the blood away gently. She rested her head against his and it felt like she was closer to Jon.

 

“My Lady,” Brienne walked up to her cautiously, as if she were going to run away, “Daenerys has requested everyone join her in the Great Hall for supper.” Sansa looked up from her seat and sighed, “You don’t have to go, I could make an excuse and bring supper to your room?”

 

“No, we will all go together” Sansa started to push Brans chair, when he snapped out of his vision.

 

“I must stay here. I have more work to do, I have to know more” he murmured as if he were still far away.

 

“Bran, no, you already skipped both your morning meal and the meal Sam brought you, you must keep up your strength. Sam can bring you back her after you eat” she demanded firmly.

 

They walked thought Winterfell, it was surprisingly quiet. She was so used to both men and women training in the yard or blacksmiths making weapons and armor. The silence surrounded her and demanded attention.

 

She pushed Bran through the large wood doors to the Great Hall; she realized why it seemed so quiet and empty outside, it was because it seemed like every person in Winterfell was stuffed into this one room. There were serving girls squeezing between tables and people serving food and drinks. Every one stepped aside for her and Bran with Brienne following close behind.

 

Sansa could feel Daenerys glaring at her before she even looked up; her violet eyes meeting Sansa wide blue ones sent shivers down her spine. She felt like she was in Kings Landing again staring down the people who wanted her dead; but this was her home and she was not going to be scared.

 

She got to the table and sat between Arya and Jon. On the other side of Jon was Daenerys and then Tyrion and Jorah, with Missandei standing behind her. The other side of Arya was Davos and then Bran was at the end of the long table at the front of the room. Everyone else already had food in-front of them, and quickly so did Sansa and Bran. They all began eating, although Sansa was cautious and ate slow small bites, she needed to be the ever-present Lady of Winterfell, that and she could not be caught unable to speak around a mouth full of food.

 

Halfway through the meal Daenerys stood up and waited for the Hall to quiet down, which it did eventually, “I understand that many of you were upset about the misunderstanding between your Lady and I; but worry not, I have come up with a solution to fix all of your problems.”

 

Sansa tried to keep the disdain off her face but the more Daenerys talked the more she wanted to let Arya slice her throat, like Littlefinger. She looked over the crowd and saw many of them looked unimpressed by this show of “benevolence”.

 

“Being your Queen, it is my honor to fix the problems that you come to me with. And so I have decide that both Lady Sansa and Jon Snow need to be married. Sansa will be reunited in marriage to my Hand Tyrion Lannister and Jon being your chosen King will be wed to me, as my Prince consort.”

 

The crowd did not wait for her to finish before a swell of voiced burst forth like the chill through an opened window. Many of the Lords had their fist in the air showing their outrage even if their voices could not be discerned from one another.

 

Sansa stood and raised a single hand gentle; a sudden hush fell across the hall with a few dissenting voices drifting softly around the room. When all was silent she began to speak. 

 

“While we appreciate your solution Jon and I are already spoken for and therefore can not enter into another engagement” she projected loud enough for the room to hear her clearly but in a calm enough tone that it sounded no louder than a gentle statement to everyone in the room.

 

Everyone at the front tabled looked at her questioningly, including Jon. She hoped he would understand why she had to do this, even if it took him awhile to come to terms with it; she could not let him marry that monster.

 

“Jon and I are engaged... to each other.”

 

Now their was uproar from all around her, including from the people sitting at her table. Daenerys, Tyrion and Jon sat with stunned faces trying to piece together what she had just said. Arya was screaming about how they could not marry. Davos shook his head disapprovingly. The only two who did not seem to be upset was Bran and Jorah; Bran had the same blank expression as always, but it was the relief on Jorah’s face that made her the most curious. As for the rest of the hall, they were all just one mass of voices and body parts yelling and thrashing around.

 

She raised her hand again but this time it did not work as smoothly, although some did settle down waiting for an explanation, “Enough” her voice was raised above everyone else’s but she made sure not to yell.

 

“My Lady you can not marry your brother, you are no Targaryen!”

 

She could no tell where the snarky outraged voice came from, there were to many people in the room at once, but she could see by looking around that this was a sentiment held by many of the Lords.

 

“Jon and I are not siblings. Jon is not Ned Starks son, but instead his nephew, and therefore my cousin. Jon is the legitimate child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.Jon still has Stark blood running through his veins” she echoed Lyanna Mormont words hoping it would keep the Northern Lord on their side, “and our union would strengthen his tie to House Stark when he takes its name. Jon will renounce all claim to the Iron Throne” she looked at Daenerys for this part. “Jon has always be and will continue to be a Stark, if not just by blood then by marriage” she waited for more shouting among the people but none came. Sansa almost relaxed when Daenerys stood up.

 

“You are still married to Tyrion. You can not marry another.”

 

“My marriage to Tyrion was never consummated and was annulled by my King before he bent the knee” Sansa tried to keep the smugness out of her voice but by the look on Daenerys’ face might not of succeeded.

 

“I will not allow you to marry”looking down at Jon Daenerys’ venom was dripping from every word she spat.

 

“But this is what you wanted. Your Grace was right, we both need to be married and this solution works for everybody. The North will trust Jon less now that they know he is a Targaryen, him taking the Stark name through marriage helps that; and if you never conceive Jon and I will have children that are both Targaryen and Stark, which will join the North forever with the Iron Throne. Besides you should not waste you hand in marriage on an ally when you could use it to bargain for more supporters.”

 

Sansa had laid out the perfect argument, one that not even Tyrion could seem to argue with.

 

“We will marry after the war with the Night King, which should continue to be our main focus. The dead are coming and they will not care what House you belong to or where you allegiance lies. They have come to kill and kill they shall if we do not stand together, the living against the dead.”

 

With this another roar of voices exploded but this time in applause and shouts of victory against the dead. She had done it, for now at least. Dinner was over and so was the public part of this conversation, she stood to leave knowing she would be followed. Daenerys stomping out first with Tyrion, Jorah, and Missandei shuffling close behind her, and then Sansa left with Arya beside her scowling, while Brienne pushed Bran behind them leaving Jon and Davos sitting at the table staring out across the hall of now drunk riled up soldiers ready for battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For me this argument covers all the bases but if you think I am missing something or added to many points let me know, I am open to changes.


	9. Chapter 9

Jon slammed the door to his solar. Sansa jumped a little at the noise, her heart already racing in anticipation of the argument she knew was coming.

 

“What the fuck is going on!” Arya was the first to speak, yell really; which did not surprise Sansa but she could not take her eyes off Jon, waiting for him to say something.

 

It was Bran, in his monotone delivery who answered Arya, “Jon is the heir to the Iron Throne.”

 

“No, I’m not” he spoke up finally, although she wished he were talking to her instead of to everyone else in the room.

 

“But you are” Bran continued, “you are the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and-“

 

“Would people stop saying that, Fuck!” Arya could not contain herself and Sansa was just glad she had waited until they were alone to speak out. “Jon is our brother, he is a Stark, not a fucking Targaryen” all that was missing was a defiant foot stomp and Sansa would think Arya was acting her age.

 

Still looking at Jon, although he was not looking at her, Sansa finally interjected, “Of course Jon is a Stark, but he is our cousin by birth-“

 

“See that” she pointed at Sansa “how do we even know that’s true?” Arya demanded to know.

 

Sansa finally turned away from Jon and nodded in Bran’s direction, “Bran had a vision.”

 

“I saw Lyanna die after she gave birth. She told father to keep Jon safe; his name is really Aegon Targaryen.”

 

“We are not calling him that” Sansa and Arya barked in perfect unison.

 

Arya turned to face Sansa, trying to make her self as tall as possible, although she did not need to be large to be intimidation, “Why would you tell the Lords about Jon’s parentage? Why did you tell them you were going to get married, this is fucking insane.”

 

“Jon already told Daenerys everything” she looked at Jon again, “and you were right this would not of stayed a secret for long. I came up with an alternative, a good one-“

 

“Good, you agreed to marry Jon!”

 

“Arya calm down and stop yelling, people will be able to hear us” Sansa said firmly.

 

“I don’t care who hears us, you can not marry your own brother!”

 

“He is not my brother!” Sansa froze when she saw Jon jerk back and she realized what she said. She walked toward Jon, raising her hand to place it on his shoulder, “I did not mean it like that Jon, but...” he walked to the other side of the room before Sansa could touch him.

 

She knew he would be upset, knew he would never want to marry her, but putting so much distance between them after they had become so close hurt her more than she though it could.

 

“Jon... this was the best solution-” she was being gentle, the way everyone was with her.

 

“Really all that time in Kings Landing, learning how to manipulate people and use them, and this was your best solution. I don’t think so. Maybe you are just using this to situation to become Queen like you always wanted.” Aryas comment felt like a physical assault.

 

“Arya, I would never... I thought we moved past this” Sansa knew she sounded defeated and hurt, she could not hide her true feeling from her family any more, some of her walls needed to come down.

 

“Maybe your just better at manipulation then I though. Maybe your just the same selfish girl you always were, and it does not matter who suffers as long as you get what you want” Sansa knew Arya was speaking from a place of confusion and anger but it did not make the sting of her accusation any less cruel.

 

“Enough!” Jon yelled. “Get out, all of you!”

 

Sam started to push Bran out when he stoped Sam and looked first at Sansa then to Jon, “I don’t see you union having any negative effect on the future.” With that he and Sam were gone.

 

Arya stomped out of the room, both because of her anger at the situation and at being thrown out. Davos looked to Sansa and then Jon, opening his mouth to speak and then closing it again before he exited the room. Brienne walked out the door with Jamie close behind, he was trying to hide his smile but Sansa knew he was loving this; the dysfunctional Stark children all that was left of the great and noble Ned Stark. Sansa looked back one last time before slowly following Brienne and Jamie.

 

“Not you” she heard Jon’s deep strong voice command.

 

Brienne and Jamie were already outside the threshold when Jon closed the door again only slightly more gentle then the last time.

 

Silence consumed them like a blanked fresh snow, it was cold and uninviting, but they were stuck like this until one of them braved the first word.

 

Jon sighed and sat down in a big wooded chair, he looked so much like father, her father she reminded herself. Sansa sat across from him and waited. His head was down and all the hair had fallen in-front of his face; she desperately wanted to brush her fingers through his hair and push it back, but now was not the time for that.

 

He rubbed his face in his hand and then finally looked at her, “Why?”

 

“I had to stop her from thinking she could marry you and this... it really is the best solution.”

 

“I wont marry you Sansa, I can’t force you into another unwanted marriage.”

 

She breathed a sigh of relief, he was worried about her. He always seemed to be worried about her, it was one of the reasons she loved him. Love, she loved him. Right then and there she realized why she had been so willing to marry him, it was because she loved him, not like Bran or Rickon or Robb, but in the way her mother had loved her father. She knew he would not understand and decide to keep it to herself.

 

“Jon, you are not forcing me to do anything, it was my idea remember.”

 

“Why... why would you want to marry me?” He looked at her sadly, like a lost child waiting for someone to find him. Sansa placed her hand on his cheek softly so he had no choice but to look at her.

 

“You are brave and gentle and strong. I have not felt safe since father was murdered in front of me, not until I saw you at Castle Black and you said you would never leave me” she took a deep breath. “Jon, eventually I will have to marry. Daenerys already tried to marry me to Tyrion, again. Lord Baelish wanted me to marry Harrold Hardyng. I have been engaged five times and married off twice, but you are the only one who has ever made me feel...” she could not expose her true feelings “...safe. You don’t have to do this, I know you don’t want to, but think about it before you make your decision. We don’t have to decide until after the war is won.”

 

“What will we do if we don’t marry?” Sansa dropped her hand away from his face. She was hurt he was even asking, but she could not let it show; she loved him enough for the both of them and would have to live with what ever choices he made.

 

“I will think something. I will protect you, I promise” it took all her energy to stand and walk away from him.

 

Just as she was about to open the door it swung open and Davos rushed in; out of breath and panting, “Word just came, Last Hearth has fallen, the dead are coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arya’s attitude is just a way to connect her back to show Arya, and although I hate when Arya and Sansa fight I think if one thing will make Arya mad it would be thinking she is going to lose her special bond with Jon.
> 
> Also I am pretty much done with the next chapter so I will probably upload that later today, I just wanted to get this one up as soon as possible.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay another two in one day!!

Jon jumped into action telling Davos to round up the Lord to go over their next move. He looked over his shoulder at Sansa, “Get Bran and Arya.”

 

She quickly ran from the room toward the Weirwood Tree, where she knew Bran would be; she hardly noticed that Brienne and Jamie were following her. On her way to Bran she passed the room where the blacksmith boy, Gendry,was stationed, she stopped suddenly and turned back; she pushed the door open and their in the middle of the room was Arya and Gendry locked in an embrace.

 

Arya pushed him away against the opposite wall when she realized that someone had entered the room. When she saw who had walked in her eyes grew dark, challenging Sansa to say anything about what she just walked in on; Sansa knew better to bring it up, especially so soon after her own engagement was announced.

 

“The dead are close... I... I’m going to get Bran from the Gods Wood” Sansa was still flustered; Gendry would not even meet her eyes but immediately picked up a large hammer, readying himself for battle.

 

“I’ll be there in a minute” Arya was curt but civil, more than Sansa expected from her.

 

Sansa left the room and continued onto seek out Bran. He and Sam were not hard to find, they were in the same place as always.

 

“Sam please get Bran we have to go back inside quick, the dead are closer and Jon is getting the Lords together.”

 

“I need to stay here” Bran spoke barely over a mumble.

 

“Bran we have to go inside” Sansa voice was starting to get urgent. She knew that Last Hearth was still at least two days walk, although who knows how long it took for word to get to them; they still seemed to know so little about the dead, and so far their progress had been quick.

 

“I have to Sansa, Sam go tell Jon about the Night King. I have to stay here.”

 

Sam looked at Sansa unsure of who’s orders to follow, “It’s ok Sam go, I’ll stay with Bran for a bit.”

 

Sansa looked to Brienne and Jamie, “Tell the guards to put someone at each of the watch points at all times, we need to be able to see in all directions. Jamie go to the meeting, you have military experience and can help them form a plan of attack.”

 

“Someone should stay here with you” Brienne said, looking at Jamie questioning which one of them should leave their Lady.

 

“It’s ok Brienne, we wont be out here much longer and Arya will be here soon. Go both of you.”

 

They took one more look at Sansa and then left her to the chilling quit around her. Every rustle made her jump, but she stood like a beautiful statue waiting for Bran to finish his vision.

 

The sound of crunching snow made Sansa spin around, maybe it was just Arya. No it was not coming from the direction of the castle. She took a step closer to Bran.

 

Then she saw the bluest eyes she had ever seen, inhumanly blue eyes. They were colder than the winter wind and pierce through her heart like ice. The face of what use to be a man was pale, almost transparent, and part of his jaw was missing leaving the rest to dangle, swaying as he ambled toward her.

 

She put her body between Bran and the dead man. What was she going to do, she still had no weapon. The sight of this sad being froze her in place, paralyzed with fear. It came at her with an inhuman shriek, running at her with its arms raised and head bobbing wildly; then it was gone, knocked down by a blurb of white. Ghost ripped it up but pieces of it were still moving.

 

She could see two more in the distance, moving closer. Ghost growled as he moved closer to Sansa. He bound forward to attack one of them but it left her open, and soon the other one was coming at her. Sansa noticed that this one was still fresh, whoever he was all of his skin was still intact, if it were not for the eyes she could almost mistake him for someone alive. She folded in on herself protecting her head with her arms; she felt a hand go around her arm and then it let go. She heard a grunting sound, and felt the splatter of something cold and wet on her hands; she looked up and Arya was standing there with the Valerian dagger still inside the body of the creature.

 

“We have to go now!” Arya demanded.

 

Sansa pushed Brans chair, with an unresponsive Bran unable to argue with them. Ghost followed them; circling around them to make sure no more dead would come out to attack .

 

Once they were in the clearing she could see the commotion around her but it was in anticipation and not fear, which means the dead had not made it into the main part of the castles yet. Brienne saw them and ran toward her, “My Lady what happened are you alright?”

 

Sansa was confused by her line of questioning until she looked down at herself and saw the dark blood, like wet ash, splattered across her hands and dress, “I’m fine, but send some soldiers into the God’s Wood and warn them their might be more dead out there.”

 

Arya was already ahead of them but it did not take much for Sansa long legs to catch up with her and into the Great Hall where Jon was already discussing plans with the Lords. He looked up as they came through the door and froze, his eye roaming over her body; it was like she could feel the pressure on her flesh every place he looked.

 

He marched around the table, ignoring the Lords, and came right to her, “What happened? Are you hurt? Who did this?” He was talking so quickly but she could not answer; not when her mind was so consumed with his touches. He ran his hand over her arms, face, and torso; she knew he was checking her for injuries but she marveled in sensation of his touches.

 

“I’m fine. There were whites in the God’s Wood, but Arya and Ghost killed them.”

 

“Send men out to search the perimeter for more” he ordered.

 

“It’s ok” she slid her had down his arm, “I already sent men to look for any more.”

 

“These must of been the scouts you were taking about” Jamie said from behind Jon.

 

Jon rested a hand on her back and lead her to the table that the men were already sitting around. He took his hand away when he was settled and put both hands on the table moving pieces around a map.

 

Bran awoke from his vision and looked around, he seemed annoyed that they moved him out of the woods but his face quickly went back to the bank expressionless face that Sansa had come to recognize a the Three Eyed Raven.

 

“They will be here tomorrow...”

 

He was interrupted by the rustling and voices of the men around them, “That soon?” “Are you sure?” “ We need to evacuate the women and children.”

 

Bran did not seem to notice that anyone else was even in the room, let alone talking, so he continued on “they will come in small groups at first, just a few at a time, but by the second day they will all be here including the Night King and the dragon.”

 

“There is no time to move people out of Winterfell. This is the safest place for everyone, it is well stocked and heavily fortified” Jon proclaimed. “We need to bring as many as we can into the walls of Winterfell, now.”

 

At this Lord Royce and Lord Glover left to bring in the soldiers who were staying outside the walls in tents and small hunting structures.

 

“Set up the old women and children in the crypts, it will be the safest place for them.”

 

With that two more men left to follow their Kings orders. This is what Jon was good at Sansa thought to herself.

 

“My people and dragons are ready now” Daenerys chimed in, Sansa had not even noticed her in the room, “ we should take the fight to them, not let them get close enough to kill us like sitting ducks.”

 

“We lose the advantage if we go to them. If we stay here we have the higher ground, walls and the ditches we dug around us will be set on fire giving us yet another barrier between us and the Others. No, Winterfell in the best place to be right now.”

 

Daenerys did not like being dismissed and stomped out of the room followed by all her people but Tyrion who was still holding a goblet to his lips. 

 

Jon looks around at the remaining Lords “Prepare your men, make them rest and give them food because tomorrow we fight.”

 

With that everyone else was out the door into the cold to get their men ready for a war against the dead. Jon, Sansa, Bran, Arya, Sam, Tyrion, and Brienne were all that was left in the room.

 

Before more was discussed Jon stared at Tyrion until he felt uncomfortable enough to leave, “Well I know when I’m not wanted” he joked as he waked about of the room.

 

“Sansa, you Arya and Bran will go down to the crypts and wait...”

 

“I am not going to sit in a room full of sobbing women waiting to die” Arya announced with passion and some of the anger she was still holding onto from before.

 

“I can not can not stay in the crypts, I think I can warg into one of the dragons and take the Night King to the ground, that will give you a better chance of killing him, and in order to do that I need to be near the Weirwood Tree. It’s were I feel the strongest.”

 

“Bran you could die out there, you will be alone and unconscious, try to do it from with in the crypts” Sansa was pleading with him even though she knew it would not make a difference.

 

“Sam, will you stay with Bran?” Jon asked, also ignoring Sansa pleading.

 

“Yes. Sansa, baby Sam and Gilly...” he stoped unable to finish his question.

 

“I’ll keep them close, I promise” she grabbed his had from across the table reassuringly. With that he left with Bran to get some food and sleep before they were needed.

 

“Arya the people in the crypts need to be protected...”

 

“You mean I need to be protected, but I don’t and I will not sit on my ass sewing while men are dying for me” Aryas words were forceful and Sansa understood some of her comments were directed at her.

 

Sansa placed a hand on Jon’s arm before he could answer Arya, “Arya can handle herself, I’ve seen it. She could help and you need all the fighting men you could get. Let Arya fight, and Brienne will go with her, to fight side by side.”

 

“My Lady!...” “Sansa Brienne will stay with you, I don’t feel comfortable with Jamie being the only one protecting you.” The last part Jon said in a whisper so only Sansa could hear.

 

“Brienne is pledged to both Stark girls and Arya needs someone to stand with her if she is going to fight” she looked at Arya challenging her to deny it; Arya knew that either she took Brienne to the battle field or Jon would force her to stay in the crypts, so she did not argue. “And Jamie will not be staying with me either, he is to go a fighter, and he is experienced in leading an army. I will not keep two of your strongest soldiers down in the crypts with me.”

 

“I’m not leaving you unguarded...”

 

“I wont be. Place Sandor Clegane down in the crypts to watch over us and keep us safe.” Sansa knew he had come with Jon and Daenerys, but he had yet to step foot inside the walls of Winterfell. She had heard that he spent most of his time wondering the arms tents outside the walls or getting drunk in Winter town, but she had not come face to face with him. Before Jon could argue with her again she continued, “He went north of the Wall with you so he know how to kill the Others, and he protected me, as much as he could, in Kings Landing. I trust him and you want someone to be down there with me, I chose him.”

 

Jon looked at Arya and Brienne, searching for back up but neither of them looked as worried as he was, “Fine, I’ll send Clegane to the crypts.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am soooo sorry that it took me so long to update this. I tried so hard to make this chapter from different POV, because I know some of you have been asking for that, but I just could not do it, no matter how hard I tried and it really slowed down my process (I ended up getting really discouraged because I could not do it) I just decided to go with what felt natural for me and I hope that that is ok with you guys. (If you are really craving a Jonsa from a different POV I uploaded a new story from both Arya and Jon’s POV and there are also a ton of great content written by writers so much better than me.)
> 
> Because of the struggles I had with this chapter I did not re-read it or anything I’m just posting it and moving on (I hope that it gets me out of this weird head space if I can just move past this chapter)

Sansa could not get any sleep she tossed and turned, even having Ghost at the foot of her bed did not have the comforting effect it usually did. She was sure nobody else was getting much sleep either, with the stress and preparation for the war that was coming to them. She flung off he blankets and Ghost picked up his head clearly annoyed that she had shaken him from sleep. She got dressed and mentally prepared to go down into the crypts while the fighting was going on above her.

 

There was a tap on the door and it gently opened as Sam pushed Bran into the warm light of her room.

 

“Everyone is getting ready” Bran said coldly.

 

Sansa knelt down to be at eye level and asked once more, “Are you sure you wont stay down in the crypts with me?”

 

“No” simple, plain, no more explanation, or apologetic looks, this is who Bran was now and she had to except that.

 

“Let’s all go out together, I have to see... everyone before the fighting starts” she said to Sam, who smiled and nodded knowingly.

 

She looked back once more at the Lords Chambers, it still felt more like her parents room than hers. It was glowing with the final light of struggling flames, it was whimsical, poetic, and for the fist time since she arrived back home she could see the past. Her mother coddling Rickon as Sansa brushed out Ladies fur. Her father sitting at his desk with Robb, teaching him how to be the next great leader of House Stark. Bran and Arya rough housing in the corner trying to be quiet enough not to get scolded. She wondered why it took this long to be reminded of all the good that happened in her home, but then it became clear as her vision started to morph.

 

It was such a slight change she hardly noticed at first, but it was no longer mother and father she imagined in this room it was her and Jon; surrounded by the love and children that they had both dreamed of as children. This war and everything that had come with it had sparked the fighter in Sansa, but until this instant she had always been fighting for the moment, in the moment, and this gave her the hope she need to fight for the future she wanted.

 

She turned and shut the door, and the memories, behind her. She would fight what she saw to be a reality and for that to happen she needed to start preparing for the coming days.

 

Walking down the stairs and into the large courtyard she almost couldn’t see the grown with so many soldiers crowding around, shuffling from place to place. The noise was defining already with the shuffle of feet, the clanging of armor as people got ready, swords being put in and pulled out of the sheaths on their belts, some people were even already practicing even though she could hear the masters yelling at them to keep up their strength.

 

One such person already swinging a sword around in flourished motions was Arya, who was standing off to the side watching everyone get ready. Sansa walked over to her slowly, she knew Arya was still mad about her upcoming nuptials but she was not going to let the sister she just got back go off to war with out saying good bye.

 

“I know your still mad at me but I wanted to tell you to be careful and stay safe.”

 

Arya looked up at her but did not stop swinging the sword around her body keeping Sansa distant from her.

 

“I’m not mad at you.” She stopped then and sheathed Needle. “I was mad but not at you... well more because of you than at you... I just don't want to lose Jon.”

 

Her openness and honestly about her feeling surprised Sansa a little but she was glad Arya was opening up, even if it was only because they could all be dead tomorrow.

 

“Arya, you could never lose Jon. He loves you and you’ll always be his little sister.”

 

“Yah but we always had a special bond, we were different then the rest of you, outsiders, and I didn’t want to share him with you. You always got everything you wanted and I didn’t want you to take Jon away too.” There was a resistances in her words, like she was afraid that by saying it out loud it would make it true.

 

“We’ve all changed so much, but your bond will never fade or diminish. Jon’s relationship with me has always been different that yours and it will continue to be different. You don’t have to worry about losing him again or any of us, we’re a pack and we have to stick together.”

 

“I know” she said reluctantly.

 

They both knew that all would be fine between them and Sansa grabbed her sister and gave her a hug. Arya squeezed her back whispering, “You stay safe too.”

 

“I will” Sansa answered. As they drifted apart again Sansa looked into her sisters eyes, “Look out for him.”

 

Arya just smiled and walked away. She walked right up to the front lines and stood next to Gendry, who did not seem happy to she her there.

 

Brienne came up behind her and rested a hand on her shoulder, “Are you sure you dont want me to stay with you?”

 

“Yes Brienne I’m sure. Stay close to Arya but watch over Bran and Jon too.”

 

“Of course My Lady” with that she too was off to the front of the fighting lines next to Arya and Jamie.

 

Sansa looked around knowing she had one more person to say good luck to. She searched the courtyard, weaving between the bodies around her. Then she saw him, leading a horse through the crowd. She ran up to him, not wanting to again loose him in the crowd.

 

“Jon” she yelled as she jumped into his arms.

 

Like all the times before he caught her with out a thought, bringing her close and lifting her feet off the ground.

 

“Be safe out there. Don’t do anything stupid” she whispered into his ear as she nuzzled into his neck.

 

She could feel the chuckle that escaped him as he set her back on the ground and began to pull away.

 

She held onto him her hands gripping both sides of his shoulders. Gently resting her forehead against his they stood their with their eyes closed breathing each other in.

 

“I mean it, we need you” Sansa breathed out softly.

 

“Stay in the crypts and don't come out until all the fighting is done. If something should happen...”

 

“It won’t”

 

His eyes shot opened and he looked at her, “If something goes wrong, find a horse and run, don’t look back just find a safe place to hide. Go to the Vale you’ll be safe there.”

 

Sansa knew there was no arguing with him so she agreed, “Ok.”

 

Out of the corned of her eye she could see Daenerys, already mounted on her horse readying to ride out to where she would trade her horse for a dragon. She could see Daenerys glaring at them and Sansa knew she needed to show her that Jon being to her, to Winterfell, to the North.

 

She slid her gloved hands up from his shoulders to each side of his face, cupping both checks she gently pulled his face closer to hers and their lips meet for the first time. It was a kiss unlike any other, it spread through her body like the warmth of a nice bath. Her lips felt like they were on fire but in the best way possible. Then to her surprise Jon leaned into the kiss and just barely parted his lips. Just as quick as it had begun it ended with the blare of a horn.

 

He pulled away from her, “Go to the crypts now and stay there.”

 

With that he too disappeared into the crowd of chaos, leaving her there in a cloud of lust and confusion. Her feet moved on their own toward the crypts and down the stairs, where she would stay until this was all over.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next two chapters will be even more Sansa-centric. People may think that this chapter is very out of character, and kinda dark, for Sansa, but this is just how I interpret what could happen.

The crypts were warm and the torches that lined the walls were only there for light, and yet Sansa felt so cold. She was numb knowing that everybody she ever loved was fighting the war that was ragging on above their heads.

 

She walked around handing blankets and well wishes to the people around her. It was her job as Lady of Winterfell to keep them calm and hopeful, never letting them see the fear in her soul.

 

She saw Gilly rocking Sam in her arms and sat down beside them.

 

“How are you? Do you need anything?” Sansa asked quietly.

 

“We’re good, thank you My Lady.”

 

“I told you to call me Sansa” she said in the sweet teasing voice she used so little.

 

Gilly just smiled and looked down at a sleeping Sam.

 

“You don't have to worry he’ll be ok” she said and they both knew she was not referring to the Sam rapped in Gilly’s arms.

 

“Oh I know he’s so brave and he already saved me once from those creatures. Did I you know that?” Gilly was clearly proud of the man she loved.

 

“No I didn’t, but it does not surprise me, he has been nothing but wonderful to Jon and all of us. We appreciate him so much and I’m happy you and Sam... and baby Sam came to Winterfell.”

 

“I like it here, it is a good place to raise a family.”

 

“You will always be welcome in Winterfell” Sansa watched as Gilly shushed Sam and continued to rock him from side to side.

 

Sansa looked out at all the people in the crypts. There were less than she thought there would be, but most of the women were above fighting; only the old and the young were forced bellow to wait. Old women sang songs of the battles won and lost, song of the ancient Kings and their strength. Children were huddled together with tear streaked faces. Women created several small circles to pray.

 

All of it reminded her of the Battle of the Blackwater. She could still hear the weeping noble women of Kings Landing and Cersei’s jibes at the weakness of the stupid women she was stuck protecting. Cersei had no sympathies for the women she was supposed to comfort and even then Sansa knew that if she were ever in the same position she would never be like Cersei. So Sansa did not sit above her people drunk on wine waiting for them all to die, instead she went around and joined in their activities.

 

She sang, and prayed and told stories to distract the children; she did believe in the songs, the prayers, or the stories but her people did and so she was what they needed her to be. She was the opposite of Cersei Lannister.

 

However Cersei had thought her many things that she still believed in, even that night, as she abandoned her people to protect herself and her children. Sansa saw Sandor Clegane in a dark corner of the room as far as he could get from everyone while still keeping close enough to protect Sansa if the time came.

 

She walked up to him, handing him a glass of ale, “Walk with me.”

 

They walked through the crypts in silence; Clegane always a step behind her,just like old times. She slowed down and stood in front of her fathers statue, they were not supposed to be this close to the entrance but she needed his strength.

 

“I need to ask you to do something for me” she never took her eyes of her father and made sure to speak low enough that no one else could here them.

 

“Don’t you have your own dogs to command?” his gruff voice dripping with sarcasm.

 

“They made an oath to do what I say but I also gave them my oath that I would never ask anything that would dishonor them” she final turned to look at him.

 

He just smirked, in that way that used to scare her, now it just spurred her on.

 

“If we get over run... if the others make their way down her and you can’t kill them all... I need you to kill the people down here.”

 

His face made and expression she had never seen before, shock.

 

“You can do it quickly and with mercy. I don't want them to suffer” it pained her to say these words. She remembered Sir. Ilyn Payne standing in the corner ready to kill them all, she had been afraid of him, outraged that he as their to kill them and not protect them; but know she could understand, now it was a necessity.

 

“These people will turn into Others if we do nothing, imagine mothers coming across their blue eyed children on the battle field. I won’t let Sam come face to face with Gilly if she changed, no longer herself but a shell of the woman he loved, forced to kill her in order to protect himself. Just because we die down here does not mean its not possible for them to still win up there. I wont add to their fight.”

 

She thought about Jon seeing her dead body on the battle field killing his soldiers, his sister, his brother; she would not force him that face her like that.

 

He final spoke, “Why would I do this?”

“Because you once told me I would need the hateful things you do... you were right, I do.”

 

“Even if I did kill them, they can still be resurrected.”

 

“I’ll take care of that. Can I count on you?”

 

He never answered, just walked back to the group; he stopped to look back at her waiting for her to follow. She looked at her fathers statue one last time, looking down to make sure that the bright green vial was still tucked away in the corner.

 

Sansa had found a small amount of wild fire that Lord Baelish had hidden away, he had taken it with him from Kings Landing. It was not a lot, not enough to help with the war, Baelish had wanted to have it studied and reproduced for his own use but died before it could be understood and reproduced. She took it, not knowing at the time what she was going to do with it, but did not want him to have it. Now it was the only thing that could save her people from turning into monsters and joining the war for the other side.

 

She had to keep it from Clegane, knowing he would not help her if he knew fire was involved. She hoped she never had use it, and did not take the responsibility lightly, but she was not doing it for power, to conquer, to protect herself; she was using it to save her people from an even worse fate.

 

She followed behind him, grabbing his arm, “I believe we’ll win, that you’ll never have to make this decision but I had to ask.”

 

“Little Bird is finally free to fly.”

 

She looked around at all the people she had to be strong for and did not feel free but she did feel at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it has been shown clearly that Sansa is different then the other Queens (like when she was making sure they had enough food for winter, instead of burning it all). So this chapter was about showing that difference in a new way, both the other Queens have used fire (Dany for conquest, Cersei for power) and so I wanted so show how I think Sansa would use fire.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone I’ve been sick for a while and just got out of my cold medicine haze so I hope this makes sense ;)
> 
> Warnings of violence and death (let me know if you think my rating needs to be changed)

Sansa no longer knew how long she and the others had been in the crypts, with no separation between night and day it could be two days it could be ten. The only way she had any idea at all was that periodically some one would rush down and keep her updated on the progress.

 

Many of the people around her were getting restless, they wanted to see if their families were alive, they wanted to fight, they wanted to get above ground and feel the cold air on their skin. Sansa was the same but she had to be patient and cheerful so as not to concern the others. Sansa would always end up near Gilly for meals or a rest; Gilly never seemed emotional or nervous instead her calm demeanor gave Sansa the bust she needed.

 

She could hear a scuffle and people taking up ahead, so she stood up and walked over to see what the commotion was about. There in front of her was Theon covered in blood and mud but very much alive. Everyone swarmed around him asking about their families or the progress, but Sansa pushed through them and ended up in his embrace.

 

“You’re here” she whispered to him.

 

“I got Yara back and your uncle arrived also and is helping to fight the battle.”

 

She pulled back from him and just looked at him, making sure he was not hurt, “How is it going.”

 

“Not good, but we’re not losing yet either. The Night King is on the dragon he killed but the other two have managed to keep him far enough from the castle walls that he has not been able to do to much damage to Winterfell.”

 

“Jon, Arya, Bran?” She asked in a shaky voice.

 

“Bran is here?” guilt passed over his face.

 

“Yes, he and Arya came back to Winterfell. He’s in the God’s Wood.”

 

“I did not see him, but I saw Arya; she didn’t see me though.”

 

Sansa smiled sadly, “I’d stay away from her until I’m there.”

 

“I needed to tell you something else... not about the war” her eyed the crowd of people surrounding them. She took his arm and led him away, they were only followed by Clegane.

 

“I saved Yara from Euron, but he got away. She wanted to go after him but most of our men were dead and I thought we could come here and ask Daenerys for men, but the fighting had already begun, andI don’t think she’ll help us anyways” he was clearly nervous about asking Sansa for help.

 

“I don’t know what kind of shape our army will be in... but, I’ll ask Jon when the time comes” Sansa reassured, she was glad some of his old self seemed to be coming back, his confidence was raising but it was not cocky or selfish like it was before.

 

“There’s more,” he was whispering “Euron did not abandon Cersei like he said he would at the summit. He is going to get the Gold Company and bring them to Kings Landing to join the Lannister and Greyjoy army.”

 

Fear struck Sansa heart, she knew she could not forget about Cersei for long, but she had been so consumed with the woman at her door that she forgot about the enemy to the South. She had to think about everything all at once just like she was taught, and she had let her mind and her heart focus to long he in the North. 

“Sansa” she could hear her name in the distance, “Sansa?”

 

She realized that it was Theon that was saying her name. She shook her mind clear and focused on the man in front of her.

 

“Are you ok. I didn’t mean to worry you, I just thought you would want to know.”

 

“It was good you told me. We need to be prepared for the worst. Thank you for coming back” she gabbed his hands and squeezed.

 

“I have to get back up there and join the fight.”

 

“Are you sure, you could rest down here for a bit get something to eat...”

 

“No I need to go” his voice was strong.

 

“I understand” she knew he was still trying to redeem himself.

 

She looked at Clegane and told him to stay there as she walked through the crypts with Theon leading him to the opening. She sent him off with a hug and well wishes. On her way back to the group within the bowls of the crypts she stopped at her fathers statue. It really didn’t look like him, but she would never forget his face; maybe she would have is statue redone after the war. Jon could sit for a portrait and they could just change the slight differences; it might be easier for a sculpture to get his features right if they had a picture to go off of.

 

She was distracted by a noise near the entrance. Her heart started to race and she could feel her body tense up; panic raced through her body. Was it the dead? Had they lost and now the dead was making their way down to kill the rest of them.

 

She could make out a silhouette coming toward her from the stairs and she backed into the crevice between her father and the wall. She made sure not to knock over the wild fire that was still tucked behind his statue. The figure walked past her hiding spot and she could see it was not one of the dead; but why would a Dothraki soldier come down into the crypts?

 

At first she thought he might be down here to update her, but ever person who has been sent down before was a Northerner or a solider from the Vale and she had just seen Theon off, they had never sent updates so close together. She shimmied out of her hiding spot, brushed dust off her skirts and turned to head back to the group; but there towering in her way was the Dothraki.

 

He just stood there looking down on her; there were not many people who could intimidate her by their size alone but this man was huge. He began to speak to her but the only word that she understood was Khaleesi, which she understood to be just another one of Daenerys’ long list of titles. He took a step closer to her still talking in a langue he knew she could not understand. He was blocking her way to the rest of the crypts so if she needed to run the only way out was up the stairs and into the war above. She could see his hand move to his side and grab the hilt of his weapon.

 

She took a step back but he did not succeed in unsheathing his sword because his head was split open. Clegane had come up behind the stranger and swung his sword down on his skull virtually splitting it into two. Sansa was close enough that blood splattered all over her face and down the front of her dress. She let out a yelp and stumbled backwards, she hit a wall or a statue she couldn’t tell, and slid down until she hit the ground. She wiped away the blood and tried to slow down her breath; her eyes never leaving the dead man in front of her.

 

Clegane just stood there cleaning off his bloody blade, stone faced with cool unfeeling eyes. “Somebody wants you dead little bird.”

 

She looked at the dead body, the dead Dothraki, and of course Daenerys had sent him to kill her; especially since it did not stick the last time she tried. Sansa took a deep breath and pushed herself off the ground.

 

“Get this man out of here and into one of the fire pits that’s going above. Don’t tell anyone what happened down here, do you understand” Sansa did not mean to sound so forceful but her heart was still racing.

 

Clegane just grunted and moved to pick up the limp body.

 

Sansa went to find clean water to wash away the blood. Since she did not have another dress down here she put her coat on and just ignored the warmth of the crypts. She calmed herself, took a swig of the Arbor Gold, and then walked back into the crowd of women and children, many of whom were sleeping soundly. She looked over the crowd and knew she had to come up with a plan, a plan to take care of both the Queens standing in the way of her family’s happiness. 


	14. Chapter 14

Sansa walked up the steps of the crypts, squinting at the light streaming through the cloud cover. She couldn’t believe it was over, or that they had won. The quiet was deafening, even below ground they could hear the rumble of footsteps, the clash of weapons, and the screech of dragons; now all she could hear was the wind blowing. Wounded me were being helped into the Great Hall she searched their faces, looking for anyone she recognized; man after man past her by, Lords and foreigner alike but none of the people she was looking for.

 

She climbed the steps to the battlement and look beyond the walls of Winterfell. It was a clearly a war zone, dead bodies strewn about, although not as many as she would of though. This odd sheen covered the ground, it was almost like snow but sharper looking, glass like; it must of been the dust left behind from the dead. It looked even colder and unwelcoming than usual and yet she was proud of the great achievement of Northern success. She could not recognize a single body laying in the field of battle, tears weld in her eyes, she supposed it was good none of the bodies were familiar, but she was still searching for her family.

 

“Sansa!”

 

She whipped around to search for the person who called to her; there in the crowd was Arya covered in blood, dirt, and Gods know what. She ran down the steps and collided with Arya in a hug, similar to the one she and Jon had when they saw eachother for the first time.

 

“Jon? Bran?”

 

Arya looked concerned, “Bran isn’t waking up but Sam thinks he’ll be fine... and Jon got hurt...”

 

Sansa ran towards Jon’s room as soon as the words left Arya’s mouth. She could hear her name being called behind her but she ignored everyone and continued her sprint to Jon, pushing open the door to find Sam dressing a wound on Jons abdomen.

 

“How is he?” Concern laced her voice.

 

“It could be worse. He’ll heal but it will take some time.” Sam finished his assessment and covered his body with a fur, “Keep him here, I’l come check on him again soon.”

 

“Of course, their are so many people who need you, I’ll stay with him. Go” she shooed.

 

Alone she sat on the side of his bed and placed his hand in between hers, she brushed a stray hair out of his face. He never stirred, soundly asleep after the trials of war. She would do anything to make sure he woke up.

 

“You have to be ok, you just have to be” she whispered.

 

Arya stepped in the open door with Brienne. Sansa stood and hugged Brienne, she was stiff clearly uncomfortable with this show of affection, “I’m glad your ok.”

 

“Thank you My Lady. Jamie is injured but Sam is looking in on him.. is it ok... if I go...”

 

“Yes Brienne go, check on him.”

 

She watched Brienne walk away with the same sense of hast Sansa had when she went to find Jon.

 

“How is everything else Arya?”

 

“We lost a lot of good men and women, but we won so...”

 

“Yes we did” Sansa sighed, she was glad they won but it did not temper her other worries.

 

“She’s still alive” Arya did not have to say who Sansa already knew, “but one of the dragons died fighting with the dead one.”

 

“Well at least she only has one dragon to burn us with” Sansa did not mean to sound sarcastic, she knew it was not Aryas fault one of Daenerys’ dragons was still alive.

 

“What about Gendry?” Sansa looked at Arya knowingly.

 

“He’s good” Arya blushed.

 

“Good. Have you seen Bran? I should go check on him soon.”

 

“I saw him, it looks like he is sleeping but he’s not. It’s like he’s trapped between our world and his visions” Arya was sad, but did not seem overly concerned and that made Sansa feel slightly better.

 

The long wait began.

 

Jon was laying there, unconscious. He was so still and unmoving that several times she had though she had lost him and put her head on his chest, to be reassured by his beating heart.

 

Arya was sitting on the other side of the bed resting, she had not moved from the spot since Jon had been brought here. Sansa held Jon’s hand, running her thumb over the back of his hand even bring her lips to it ever so often. He had yet to open his eyes but she knew he would. He had to, for her.

 

Sansa was startled when the chamber door swung open and the Dragon Queen walked in. Arya jumped out of the chair holding a dagger in front of her, she did not put it away even after she saw who it was.

 

“Get out” Sansa scolded.

 

Daenerys stood there, shocked by Sansa outburst, but ignored her and continued to get closer to Jon. She sat on the edge of his bed and lifted his hand to her check.

 

“I said get out of this room” Sansa was not going to let the first thing Jon saw when he woke up be Daenerys Targaryen.

 

“Get out, Now!” Sansa voiced was raised to a dangerous degree. She knew that Daenerys would not react well to her yelling, but right now she simply did not care.

 

Daenerys lowered Jons hand and stood; she looked to Sansa then Arya and left with out a single word.

 

This was not over for Sansa thought, and so she followed her out into the hall.

 

“Stay away from my husband” Sansa said firmly.

 

“He is not your husband yet, Lady Stark” Daenerys smiled wickedly.

 

“You will stay away from Jon because no matter what you think is going to happen he will never go back to you. He may not be my husband yet but he will never be your husband, do you understand me?”

 

“Is that fear in your eye, My Lady, fear that he will always love me more than he will ever love you” Sansa bristled at Daenerys’ pointed words.

 

“When we were young Jon never went to the brothels, even when Theon and my brother Robb would go. He never wanted to have a bastard, he did not want to have another child be raised without the love of a mother. He may be in love with you, I don't know, but I can guarantee that he will never stray from my bed, not to yours or anyone else’s.”

 

They stared at each other but before Daenerys could say anything Sansa continued, “I am the only one who can give Jon everything he ever wanted. The family he always wanted. So he may of lusted after you, even loved you once, but it will be nothing compared to the love he will build with me. So once again I will tell you to stay away from my husband.” Sansa emphasized every syllable in the last couple of words just to make it clear where things stood between her and Daenerys.

 

Daenerys’ shocked face brought more joy to Sansa than she though possible. She whipped around and strode back into Jons room with all the grace and sass she could muster, slamming the door behind her creating a barrier between Daenerys and the people Sansa loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cold not bring myself to kill any of the main characters 🤦♀️ maybe next war🤷


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, it has been a long time but I hope you enjoy.

Sansa walked out of a meeting with the nobles more exhausted than she was before. She had been getting what little sleep she could on the chair besides Jon’s bed, she had tried to lay down beside him on the bed, resting her hand on his chest to feel his heart beat, but Arya had walked in and glared at her. Arya did not mention anything and is not longer saying, out loud, what a bad idea their marriage was but Sansa knew it was to soon for her to see them have any physical contact. Not that there ever would be if he did not wake up.

 

A tear slipped down her cheek as she thought about Jon never waking up; she shook herself out of her melancholy and carried on. As she walked back to Jon’s room she went over the meeting in her head. It had gone well, well enough. So many people had died, it was hard to know how many since they burned most of the bodies as they went to limit the amount of new soldiers for the Night King. One of the ways that Sansa was confronted by the amount of deaths was the shear number of orphans that were left behind. Many of them would stay at Winterfell, they had the most resources left after the war, however the Lords were all more than happy to take some of them in order to give them apprenticeships and better lives. She could not have any more people die...

 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a flash of silver hair rounding the corner and walking toward her.

 

“Lady Stark... Coming from a meeting? I’ll inform you again that I request you include me in all meetings.” She was projecting confidence but Sansa knew that she had been feeling threatened since Sansa told her to stay away from Jon.

 

“Of course, Your Grace” she said sickeningly sweet “I simply did not think you would want to be bothered with all the talk of the Northern people.”

 

“I care about all my people, Lady Stark” her voice held a bit to it, “and beside I need to discuss how many people will be going south with me to take back my throne.”

 

Sansa’s spine crawled “We agreed not to bring that up until Jon is feeling better.”

 

“Trust me I would not do anything with out him... but there is no harm in talking about it” with that she walked away.

 

Sansa turned to scowled at the back of Daenerys head as she walked away. Sansa continued on and was soon in front of Jon’s door, the man standing guard looked nervous.

 

Sansa’s heart stopped “Is everything ok? Is it Jon?” She swung the door open to find Jon peacefully sleeping in his bed; she let out a breath. She turned to look at the man who still had not entered the room.

 

He was looking at his feet and shifting uncomfortably “Her Grace came by” he started to speak faster as he went “I told her she was not allowed but she wouldn’t listen and I... I didn’t want to make her mad or anything I’m very sorry, I did try to stop her I promise...”

 

“It’s ok” Sansa tried to reassure him but she was mad that Daenerys had snuck in to see Jon “I understand, but next time if I’m not here send someone to find me and I’ll come back right away.”

 

“Yes My Lady” he nodded his head in respect and she gently closed the door.

 

Everyone know that Sansa wants to be the first person Jon sees when he wakes up, everyone including Daenerys Targaryen. Sansa tried not to leave his side but she had so much to do and it had been four days since the war had ended, she couldn’t lock herself up in this room waiting for him to open his eyes. She leaned over his bed and placed a feather light kiss on his lips. She sighed heavily as she pulled away; work needed to be done.

 

She opened the door “Get my sister.”

_________________

 

Some time later the door slammed open and Arya rushed in “Is he awake? Did I miss it?”

 

Sansa smiled sadly with the reminder that she was not the only person waiting for Jon to wake up, “No. I asked you here you talk about Daenerys, she’s going to be a problem and I think I came up with a solution.”

 

Arya nodded and smirked as she closed the door, locking out enemies and supporter alike.

 

“You finally want me to killer her huh?”

 

“Not quite” Sansa tried to hide her smile, “it’s a little more complicated than that. Do you still have Baelish’s face?”

 

“Sure, you want me to kill her with his face on?”

 

“No. Daenerys came to me talking about sending soldiers South again...”

 

“I thought she was going to wait, our men just finished fighting and those who survived are still healing. How dare she demand we send Northern soldiers South so soon.” Arya was paced around the room.

 

“Calm down she has not demanded anything yet, but she will and we need to be a step ahead of her.”

 

Arya stopped pacing and stood in front of Sansa “What do you mean?”

 

“I want you to go South on your own wearing Baelish’s face and request a meeting with Cersei Lannister.”

 

“Are you insane? If I ever see her again I’m going to run her through with needle.” Arya’s furry was palpable.

 

“Arya listen to me, we need her to kill Daenerys for us. If she dies trying to attack Kings Landing her followers won’t have any reason to retaliate. It’s not like we can send an emissary to convince Cersei to be on our side, but she might listen to Lord Baelish.”

 

“His death was not exactly a secret, how are we going to explain that?”

 

“With winter and the war, news travels slowly and even if she has heard you can tell her you spread the rumor yourself to throw off your enemies.”

 

“And what about the fact he declared for House Stark?” Arya was trying to find holes in Sansa plan but she was confident in her idea.

 

“Cersei knows Baelish, she know he is never completely loyal to anyone except himself, and if he wanted something that Jon would not give him... well she’ll understand why he is turning against the North.”

 

Arya looked at her questioningly but didn’t ask anything else, instead she waited for Sansa to continue.

 

“Your going to tell her that you are willing to give up the plans for Daenerys’ attack in exchange for my hand in marriage.”

 

“What! Are you...” Arya’s arms were thrown up in the air.

 

“Listen. Listen. It is common knowledge that Baelish was in love with me and that he had always planned on marrying me. We also know how much Cersei hates me, so it would take something big to get her to give up her vendetta, but I’m sure she would agree if it meant that she gets to stay on the Iron Throne.”

 

“But then we have to worry about Cersei remaining in power.”

 

“Not after you kill her... I know she’s on your list but you have to wait long enough for her to kill Daenerys and for someone else to kill the Mountain, he’s dangerous; I don’t want you fighting him by yourself. You’ll go South first as Baelish, convince her agree to your terms and in return tell her that Daenerys will be on dragon back attacking from the West. Tell her to set up all of those giant dragon killers on the west walls, Daenerys and her army will attack from the West while Northern soldiers are on the boasts that Theon brought back, and sail in from the East. It will give Daenerys the illusion that we are going to support her fight but allows our people to be far enough from the action not to suffer anymore losses. Let in as few of our men as possible, enough to kill the Mountain and anyone else who’s loyal to Cersei. Then you kill her and take her face...”

 

“I don't know that I want to put her face on” Arya scrunched up her nose.

 

“You have to, Cersei hired the Gold Company and you will need to pay them after the fight and send them back across the sea. We can’t have them stay in Westeros, the damage they could do if they don’t get payed and are left to run around pillaging what they think they are owed is to big a cost.”

 

Silence surrounded them, Sansa was nervous about Arya’s reaction to her plan so she quietly waited.

 

“Sooo... I get to kill Cersei and we get Daenerys out of the way?”

 

“Yes” Sansa was slow to respond, still feeling Arya out.

 

“I knew you’d figure something out” Arya smiled, sounding confident for the first time during this conversation and it gave Sansa joy knowing her sister believed in her plan. Arya turned back to the bed and looked down at Jon, “Now all we need is for Jon to wake.”

 

“He will” Sansa reassured as she draped an arm over Aryas shoulder and pulled her closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know down bellow if you see a flaw in Sansa’s plan that I missed.


	16. Chapter 16

Sansa looked out the window and the white blanketing the ground, the Night King may be dead but winter was not over for them. She would need to make sure that the Lords understood that it was necessary for them to bring back as much food as they can when they go South, without starving the people there of course.

 

There was a creaking sound behind her and she turned instinctually, to check on Jon, until she remembered she was not in Jon’s room right now. She had to get away for a little bit, as much as she wanted to be there when he woke up, sitting there for hours watching him sink away was to heart breaking for her. Sam said if he did not wake up soon the chances of him waking up at all would be nearly impossible.

 

Sansa would not believe him, Jon had come back from the dead, he was not going die after a fight. This was not the first time she had thought about the magic that had brought Jon back. Melisandre had come North with Daenerys’ party and Sansa had been tempted to ask her to wake Jon up, but she knew how much Jon disliked her. He never wanted to be revived by the witch and he would be furious at Sansa if she insisted they do it again. She would do it thought if he did die or if like Sam said all hope of him waking up on is own was lost, it may be selfish but she would not loss him.

 

She left the stifling warmth of her study and walked about the court yard. It was quieter now that no one was training for battle, but every once in a while she would hear the moans of a healing soldier escaping from the tents littering the open space. Sansa made sure to walk among the small folk and help with the mending of soldiers when she could; she hoped it was reassuring and calming to her people, especially when there was so much unsettled chatter about the Dragon Queen forcing them to fight in the South. She had not made an official announcement, Jon would have to make it since he was Warden of the North, but Sansa knew nothing stayed a secret for long.

 

She had just finished wrapping clean linens around a soldier’s wounds when a guard ran up to her out of breath and with panic in his eyes. She recognized him as one of the guards outside Jon’s room “My Lady, she is in his room.” He did not need to explain who “she” was, Sansa knew exactly what was happening and after giving a small smile to the wounded man laying in front of her she spun around and walked to Jon as calmly as she was able.

 

As she got closer she could hear arguing coming from Jon’s room. Sansa could hear Arya’s angry voice, it made her happy to hear Arya be angry at someone besides her, although she composed herself when she rounded the corner and walked through the door.

 

“Didn’t my sister tell you to stay away?”

 

“I am your Queen, you listen to me not the other way around.”

 

Sansa had to chime in before Arya made their situation even worse, “You Grace, what a surprise.”

 

“I’m here to see the progress of my most loyal subject.”

 

At that Sam, walked through the door to do one of his many daily check ups on Jon. Sansa sighed, she was glad that Sam came in so she would not have to respond to Daenerys’ comment about Jon being her subject.

 

“Sam excellent timing” Sansa greeted lightly.

 

“Why hasn’t he waken up yet?” Daenerys asked brashly.

 

“I’m not really sure, but...”

 

“How do you not know, isn’t it your purpose to heal him. I knew I should have brought my own Maester, you’r all useless.”

 

“Let’s see how useless I am with a sword in my hand” Arya retorted.

 

“How dare you...” Sansa knew Daenerys was on he verge of exploding.

 

“What an excellent suggestion Your Grace, you should bring in your own Maester; just to double check.” she rested her hand on Sam to reassure him that she believed in him. It also could not make anything worse so they had nothing to loss.

 

There was a shuffle behind her and everybody in the turned to see where the noise came from. Jon’s eyes were still closed, body unmoved, but she noticed that his breath was not as shallow. Apparently everyone noticed the same thing because Daenerys was by his side in an instant, gently caressing his face and whispering to him.

 

“Jon?” it was the first time Sansa had heard Daenerys be soothing and warm.

 

“Uhh hmm” he was struggling to speak, Sam brought him water and held it to his mouth softly.

 

The room erupted with noise but Sansa could not hear anyone just a mass of mumbled voices. Her entire focus was on Jon’s face, she was waiting for his eyes to open but instead his lips parted and he tried to speak again; everyone held their breath and waited...

 

“Sa...Sansa”

 

It was all she needed to push her feet forward toward the bed. Daenerys stood staggering back with eyes open and mouth agape and Sansa did not hesitate to take her place on the bed.

 

“Wh...Where is... Sansa?” Jon was still struggling to speak.

 

Sansa grabbed the cup and made him drink some more, “I’m here. It’s ok. You’r going to be ok.”

 

Jon’s eyes opened and looked right into her soul. She smiled at him, glad that he was finally awake. He lifted his hand, slowly and clearly in pain, to wipe away the tears that Sansa had not realized she had shed.

 

“Arya? Bran?” Jon was trying to sit up but both Sansa and Sam put a hand on each shoulder to keep him down.

 

“There alive” Sansa turned at the waist to search out Arya who was standing uncomfortably in the corner. Sansa reached out her hand and Arya came to them, “see Arya is right here. We have both been so worried about you.”

Jon took his eyes off Sansa for the first time since he opened them to look lovingly at Arya, “And Bran?”

 

He looked back at Sansa when no one answered, “He’s alive” it was supposed to be comforting but based on the look on Jon’s face it did not work.

 

Sansa had almost forgotten that Daenerys was in the room until she stepped around Sansa and Arya and knelt by Jon’s head, “I knew you’d come back to me.”

 

The words made Sansa stomach lurch. She looked at Arya who was staring daggers at Daenerys, with one hand on the hilt of Needle.

 

“Sam, don’t you think it best for Jon if we leave and give him some time alone?”

 

Thankfully Sam understood what Sansa was doing, “Yes that would be best and it will give me some time to check on him fully.”

 

Sansa stood and looked down at Daenerys, waiting for her to follow suit. Daenerys looked up at her and Sansa almost thought she was going to demand to stay there; but she rose gracefully and followed Sansa and Arya out into the hallway. They parted ways without so much as a single glance, more than happy to get away from each other.

 

Sansa told the guards to come get her when Sam was done; she was going to see him before Daenerys had a chance to dig her dragon claws into him any farther.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is completely un-edited, I am posting right after finishing writing, I just wanted to post it quick :) I’l try to go back later and work out the mistakes.

Sansa knocked on Jon’s door, for the first time in what seemed like forever; when he was sick she simply walked in and out as she pleased, but now that he is awake she wanted to give him some extra privacy.

 

“Come in” she heard echo through the door.

 

She opened it just enough to squeeze in and shut it behind her. Sansa did not know why she was so nervous but she looked at her hands as she wrung them together. She finally collected the courage to look at the bed and was shocked when she saw it was empty. Her head swung around in a panic looking to see if Jon had collapsed on the flood, but instead her eyes landed on the jagged lines of Jon’s chest as he pulled a tunic over his head. She looked down again embarrassed, knowing that she was not supposed to see that.

 

“What are you doing up? You should still be in bed? Sam would not of agreed to you being up so soon!” Sansa’s protective instinct overpowered her embarrassment.

 

“I’ve been in bed for five days, according to Sam. I don’t need to be in bed any longer” he was firm but not gruff, so she decided to listen to him and not insist he go back to bed.

 

She watched diligently as he wobbled around the room collecting papers he needed or items of clothing to put on. “At least let me help you” she grabbed the paper from his hands and neatly stacked them together, adding a few others he had left on the bedside table that she thought he might want.

 

“I need to speak to the Northern Lords. Do they know I’m up?”

 

“Yes they know, and their eager to talk to you; but maybe you should see them one at a time so you don't get overwhelmed” Sansa was not trying to be pushy but she could not help but feel entitled to her request after days of taking care of him and patiently waiting by his side.

 

“Daenerys already requested that we go South to kill Cersei and take back her throne. I don’t have the luxury of taking it slow” the last part was more of a yell and Sansa did not know what shocked her more that Jon was already yelling at her or the Daenerys had slipped into see him before Sansa could be called.

 

“What did you tell her?” Sansa asked cautiously.

 

“I told her no. I may have been unconscious for days but I was on the battle field and I saw first hand how many of my men died and how many must still be recovering from grave injuries. If she wants to wait a year maybe two then I will think about sending men South, but not now.”

 

“You want her to live here, with us, for years?” Sansa voice cracked, she had anticipated Jon’s resistance to sending men South but she was struck by the offer he to his Queen.

 

“Where else would she go?” He asked like it was already a given that this could be Daenerys home. Sansa wanted to argue, no what she wanted was to scream at the top of her lungs, what she wanted was to let Arya slit Daenerys’ throat like she did with Lord Baelish, but what Sansa wanted did not matter.

 

She collected herself, “I think we should send men South for her” Jon looked at her like she had grown another head, “I have a plan that will protect our men and fix our problems.”

 

When Jon did not respond and instead sat down looking up at her, as if waiting to har more, she told him her whole plan. She told him about Cersei and the Gold Company, about sending Arya with Baelish’s face, about Daenerys’ death and Cersei’s as well, and when she was all done she waited.

 

Jon never looked away from her, not while she was laying out the plan, and then not for several minutes after when he stared at her in shocked silence. Finally he seemed to fully process her proposal, “You want to put Arya’s life in danger so that you can kill Daenerys, who is not a threat to us, and Cersei, who is thousands of miles away during winter?”

 

Sansa took a step away from Jon, “Not a threat? They are a both a threat to us. Cersei could be in Essos and still find a way to kill me, or anyone else she wants, she is dangerous no matter where she is. And the Dragon Queen stole Northern independence and made us her subjects.”

 

“She did not take anything, I gave it to her. She held up her part by defeating the Night King and when she takes the rest of the Seven Kingdoms she will stay in the South and the North will be free. If you think it is best that we fight in the South then fine, Daenerys would demand it anyway, but there is no point in killing her.”

 

“Jon...”

 

“No Sansa, no more discussing this. I don’t want any more blood on my hands. Daenerys saved us all with her Dragons, when I looked over the field of battle and saw the number of dead ready to kill each and every one of us, I thought we had already lost. Her dragons shifted the tides of war in our favor.”

 

Sansa too another step back, “You love her.”

 

“Dammit Sansa this is not about love!” Jon slammed his fist on the table beside him and stood with the most strength she had seen since he woke up.

 

Sansa stood there, eyes wide, looking at his face. He was the man she loved, the one who had protected her and held her close, but he was also the man who gave away her home and now there was something different about him, something colder that she did not recognize at all. She bowed her head to him and slowly walked out the door, not looking back as she snuck though the same way she came in.

 

She walked through the court yard not knowing where she was going, the world around her was a blur; she could not see or hear anything. She finally stopped when she reached the Weirwood tree and the striking red of the leaves became clear in her mind. She sat down softly on a log and looked up at the tree, at the Gods, and let her own tears fall.

 

She could her the sound of crunching snow behind her but she did not turn around. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a small figure sit beside her.

 

“Sansa?” Arya asked softly.

 

Sansa finally looked over to her sister, who had sympathetic eyes, and wiped away her tears, “He does not want to kill her.”

 

“I know, I was in the hallway.”

 

“Only one of us can live, in the end it is either me or her.” Arya shuffled in her seat but said nothing, “I never considered that Jon would want it to be her over me. Maybe I was naïve to think he was different than all the others. She tried to kill me again, did you now that? During the battle she sent one of her soldiers to kill me.”

 

“If Jon knew that than...”

 

“Than what? I was going to tell him, but I wasn’t ready to find out how he truly feels. Could you guarantee that he would agree to our plan if he knew; because I can’t.”

 

“You love him,” it wasn’t accusatory like when Sansa had said it, just moments ago, but instead Arya sounded curiously and relieved.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so, I meant to have this up yesterday because I wantd to calm everyone’s reaction to my last chapter but it took me a little bit longer than I expected (but this is my longest chapter yet, so there’s that).

Sansa did not know what to say to her sister. Would Arya be mad if she said she was in love with Jon? Could her love last if he really did prefer Daenerys? What would happen to her family if heart fell apart? But non of the mattered when Arya began to talk.

 

“You don’t have to say anything, it wasn’t a question. I was mad when you proposed to marry Jon because I though you were taking him away from me, but also because I thought you were using him to raise your status” Sansa’s face scrunched up, “I’m sorry I know it was wrong of me to think that. We’ve all changed so much, and you and Jon were never close, I get it.”

 

“You’r not discussed by me?” Sansa had to know.

 

“Haha No. Maybe we don't get to choose who we fall in love with, Robb couldn’t help fall in love with Talisa and...”

 

“And you couldn’t help fall for Gendry.” Sansa teased.

 

“Hm something like that” she scoffed. Arya looked up at her, “For what it matters, I’m pretty good at reading people and I think Jon would choose you over her always.”

 

Sansa rolled her eye.

 

“I’m serious, you didn’t see him after Daenerys tried to put you on trial. So much has happened since then that I think he’s been distracted from what is really important to him. The North... his family... you.”

 

Sansa leaned over to hug Arya.

 

“Alright, alright don’t smother me” Arya shrugged out of the hug and they both laughed.

 

Arya stood and held out her hand for Sansa to stand too, “Come on, lets go tell Jon that we are following your plan with or with out his approval.”

 

Sansa grabbed her hand and and rose feeling more confident than she did before. They strode through the courtyard side by side, heads held high. When they got to the castle they went strait to the room Jon most often used for meetings and sure enough all the Lords looked up at Sansa and Arya as they walked in.

 

Sansa stood next to Jon and looked around the room making eye contact with each of the Lords and Ladies in front of her, “If you’ll all excuse us, we have something to discuss.”

 

The Lords had grown to respects Sansa over Jon’s absence, both before the war and after it, they filed out of the room quickly each nodding with respect as they left. Arya closed the door behind them.

 

“What is this about, I was discussing the inevitability of war” Jon was clearly frustrated but it did not deter them.

 

“Well you can’t discuss the war without hearing from us first” Arya had such authority in her voice that Sansa beamed with pride.

 

“Arya I don’t think it is a good idea to put you in danger for Sansa plan.”

 

Arya was about to speak but Sansa through up a hand to stop her. She was going to stand up for Arya in the same way Arya had stood up for her, “Jon you should know better than anyone how strong Arya is, she stood at the battlefront beside you and survived. You fought with her and yet you still don’t trust that she can handle herself. You seem to have trouble trusting your family, but wasn’t it you who stood on the battlement and told me we had to trust each other because we had so many enemies... It seems you lost sight of just how many enemies we have.”

 

Jon looked shocked and ashamed, “I know your strong Arya I didn’t mean it that way but after all Daenerys has done for the North, I’m not sure she is...”

 

“I never thought you were delusional, naïve yes, but not delusional. She tried to kill Sansa again” Arya blurted out.

 

“What?” Jon looked at her, panic in his eyes. Sansa narrowed her eyes at Arya. She understood Arya was just trying to help but she was not ready to tell Jon, not ready to face the truth about his feelings.

 

Arya ignored the angry look Sansa flashed her and continued on, “During the battle she sent one of her Dothraki down into the crypts to kill her. Clegane saved her life because he is willing to do what is necessary to protect Sansa, and so am I. We are going through with Sansa plan with or with out you.” Sansa had been shocked by Aryas candor, and her protectiveness, less than year ago Arya had threatened to take Sansa face and now she was standing up for her against the person who means the most to her.

 

Jon said nothing. He collapsed onto the chair behind him and looked around the room, anywhere but at Sansa, “I thought I had protected you. I made it clear that if she ever touched you again she would suffer.” He finally looked up at her, “I should never of brought her here. I understand what needs to be done. We’ll use your plan, Arya can leave within a night and we can collect our men and get them marching South in the week.” He grab Sansa hand, “I’ll protect you I promise.”

 

Sansa wanted to believe him, she always wanted to believe him but she could not keep the memories of Jon’s broken promises at bay.

 

Sansa looked down at him, she no longer had anymore reassuring smiles, “Let’s just get this over with so we can start rebuilding.”

 

 **The** **Next** **Morning**

 

Sansa was standing on the battlement when Arya walked up the stairs and stood beside her.

 

“I’m leaving.”

 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Sansa checked again.

 

“You aren’t doubting your plan are you” Arya teased.

 

“No, I just needed to ask.”

 

“Well I’m sure this is going to work and if it doesn’t we always have plan B.”

 

“Plan B?” Sansa raised her eyebrow.

 

“Yeah me. I’ve been waiting to kill her since she put you on trial, and brainwashed Jon, and took Northern independence, I’ve just been waiting awhile.”

 

“Promise me you won’t. If she is not taken down with her dragon outside the walls of Kingslanding, it will be to risky to kill her in front of her people, they don’t just support her they worship her; and not even Cersei could win against religious zealots.”

 

“Didn’t she blow them up?”

 

“Yes, but massacring hundreds of people is not winning.”

 

“What if I wear a different face when I do it. Like Cersei or just a random Gold Company soldier?”

 

Sansa thought about it, it could work but if Daenerys still had her dragon Sansa did not want Arya fighting in hand to hand combat, “Only if the dragon is dead and you know you can defeat her.”

 

They made their way down to the courtyard where Arya would be leaving with their Uncle Edmure and his remaining soldiers. If Daenerys asked where Arya was, they planned to tell her that she went to help the Tully army take back Riverrun from what was left of the Lannister soldiers protecting it. Daenerys would be happy enough to get Lannister soldiers out of the way that she would hopefully not ask anymore questions beyond that and it would give Arya plenty of time to get down to to Kingslanding.

 

“What is the Hound doing here?” Arya huffed.

 

“I’m sending him with you” Arya tried to argue but Sansa stopped her, “I trust him and he is the only person who I could think of who has a chance of defeating his brother, or what is left of the Mountain. He should not go with you to talk with Cersei, she’ll kill him immediately for abandoning Kingslanding during the Battle of the Blackwater, but you sneak him in with the others through the East Gate.”

 

“If he is getting in with the others why doesn’t he travel with them?”

 

“I wanted to send you with some one, just to be extra safe, the roads are dangerous” Sansa was pleading but not enough to upset Arya.

 

“Fine, but he better not slow me down” Arya said loud enough to make sure he heard her.

 

He lumbered over, “I’ll only slow you down if you keep me up all night repeating that stupid list of yours” he grumbled. 

 

Sansa smiled, remembering the first time she heard about Arya’s list, she hadn’t believed it at first but now she understood, Arya needed the list to push her forward, to push her home. They were still there in her head and her heart, but Sansa was hoping that after all the names were gone her sister would be a little less... kill-y.

 

Arya hopped on her horse and Sansa turned to get back to work, “Hey,” Sansa looked over her shoulder, “talk to Jon while I’m away” with that Arya was off.

 

 **One** **Week** **Later**

 

Sansa walked thought the hallways unable to sleep. Jon would leave with Daenerys this afternoon, he would leave her again to wait in agony knowing he could never return. She had not done what Arya had told her to do; she just could not face Jon. He had tried to talk to her but she always made herself busy. She did not know why she was being so cold, maybe it was just to save her heart, maybe it was nerves, what every it was she needed to over come it before he left. 

 

She could see a dim light coming from beneath Jon’s door. As she walked toward it and could hear paper being shuffled on the other side. She raised her hand and knocked. The door swung open. Jon was standing alone in the room still gripping the door.

 

“Sansa, is everything ok? Come in...”

 

“Everything is fine I just couldn’t sleep” she walked in and looked around the bed sheets were thrown about, so she knows he did get some sleep at least, “your up early, you know you have a long ride ahead of you.”

 

“Yah well I haven’t been sleeping very well since I...” she knew he was talking about his injury.

 

“Well since we’re up we might as well break fast together” Sansa said cheerfully.

 

Sansa opened the door and called the guard who was standing at the end of the hall, “Tell the kitchen that Lord Snow and I will be breaking our fast in here.”

 

Sansa shut the door and sat at the table that was placed below the window on the far side of the room. She looked around, beside his sword, nothing in this room belonged to Jon. It was just a room like any other at Winterfell.

 

“I should make you a tapestry while your away.”

 

Jon looked at her puzzled.

 

“This room is so cold and uninviting. I wouldn’t know this was even your room if you were not standing in front of me. Maybe I’ll make one depicting the battle with the dead, showing you as a great hero.”

 

“No if I am going to have a tapestry I want it to make me happy.”

 

She pursed her lips and thought, “Ok what about Ghost running through the Gods Woods?”

 

“Ghost would be good. Maybe you should be in it, you will be the one making it.”

 

Sansa smiled but quickly looked away from him and down at the table in front of her. Just then there was a knock on the door, Jon opened it and a elderly woman scurried in, setting down a plate and two goblets on the table Sansa was sitting at and then just as fast scurried back out.

 

Jon sat across from Sansa and they both started to eat. It was not a great spread but they were both used to the meager ration by now. She hoped one day they could have a great feast at Winterfell, with so much food everyone, Lord and small folk alike, could break bread with them. In these quiet moments after the war against the dead she had found herself thinking more and more about future, about her and Jon’s future; if they had one.

 

They continued to sit in comfortable silence, neither wanted to break the contentment they felt. After all the food was gone Jon stood up, then thinking better of it he sat down again. Sansa was puzzled, she could almost believe he was nervous, but couldn’t understand why since it was just her in the room.

 

He finally took a deep breath and began to talk, “I guess with Daenerys gone... you wont need to marry me any more.”

 

Sansa did not want to discuss their marriage yet especially if he wanted to back out of it; she would not force him into a marriage but she was not going to let him go easily.

 

“Well I guess that depends” she was trying to not be to forward but she was shaking underneath.

 

“On what?”

 

“I think it may be in the best interest if we still creat an alliance between you and I. It will make the Northern Lords feel better and together we have the strongest claim to the rest of the Seven Kingdoms” she was trying to sound practical and not emotional but it seemed to backfire because he immediately looked forlorn.

 

“You want to marry me to be Queen?”

 

“No” she practice shouted, jumping out of her chair, “no I want to marry you because it is the best thing for our people, for our family, and for me.”

 

His grey eyes looked up at her, wide and hopeful, “For you?”

 

“You make me feel safe, even when your being stupid” she smiled at him, “our lives have been hell, we’ve experience things our younger selves could never of dreamed of. And yet we found each other, when we needed someone most, that cant be for nothing. I don’t believe is stories or songs anymore, but if I did our... bond... it would be a song.” Sansa was still to nervous to say she loved him but she was still speaking from her heart. “But of course you don’t have to marry me.”

 

“I want to” his response was almost to quick, “I mean for all the reasons you said. I was afraid that when you planned to have Daenerys killed it meant that we would not need to be married. That you did not want to marry me.”

 

Sansa placed a hand on his cheek, “You are the only person I trust enough to marry.”

 

Sansa thought to her self that these confessions and sweet words would be the first bricks, the bricks they would build a life on just like her mother and father. She pulled her hand away and looked out the window, she could see men gathering in the courtyard already.

 

“Come, you have one last battle to win.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I no longer know how long it takes to get anywhere is Westeros, seriously what used to take a season now takes a scene so I just put a time frame on it, but really it could be months instead of weeks (who the hell knows). I have been on role, so here is another longer chapter and I am so close to being done with this story. My goal is to post the final chapter tomorrow lets see if I can do it.

“Sansa I think that I should stay here with you” Brienne was still trying to convince Sansa that she could not protect her if Sansa kept sending her away.

 

“Jamie is getting better and he may not be as good as you, but they need you more than I do right now and he can protect me. Jamie is not well enough to travel that far and besides I don't want to send him to King’s Landing just to watch his sister die. He may say he understands but she is still his sister, and we all know how close they were. No its better if you go, protect Jon and my sister, they are important to me so you are still serving me by protecting them.”

 

Brienne final resigned and walked to Podrick who was holding her horse’s reigns, Podrick was not going because Brienne insisted he stay behind for Sansa and she could tell he was not happy about it. Apparently no one but Daenerys was happy about the arrangements made. She was strutting through the courtyard shouting out orders, clearly impatient for them to start going; she hated it up here in the North and she was excited to be finally be getting her throne.

 

She walked up to Sansa who was finally alone, “After my coronation I will call you to court, we can discuss an engagement for you.”

 

“I am already engaged, Your Grace” Sansa said grinding her teeth.

 

“Yes well that is if Jon chooses to come back. The allure of the South, and the people their, may be to much to resist. He has never experienced it fully.”

 

Sansa knew she was trying to goad her but she could not help rebuttal, “Jon may not but I have, and we Northerners can not stand Southorn comfort for long, life is just to easy in the South; and what is life without a little bit of a challenge.”

 

“Well Jon is a Targaryen so he is different than the mindless Northern sort.”

 

“I think it is clear he is much more Stark than he is Targaryen.”

 

“Maybe someone just needs to show him the way, and being the only other surviving Targaryen it might be best we stay together.”

 

Just then Jon waked up behind Sansa, “We should get going before the snow starts to fall.”

 

Daenerys walked closer to him placing a hand against his chest, “Yes it is time we get out of the cold Northern climate.” She looked over at Sansa, hand still on his chest.

 

Jon moved closer to Sansa letting Daenerys’ hand fall away. He leaned down to brush a light kiss angst her lips and then wrapped her in a warm embrace.

 

“I know you like making her jealous” his gruff voice whispered in her ear.

 

He pulled back and placed a hand on the side of her face “be safe” she said.

 

“We defeated the Night King, we can do anything” Daenerys must of took the we as Jon and her because she tangled her arm with his just like she did when the firs arrived at Winterfell.

 

“Good bye Lady Stark.”

 

“Your Grace.”

 

Sansa made her way up to the battlement to look out over the stream of soldiers leaving their gates. Jon had insisted that the women stay behind, they had done enough by fighting the dead; the only one who argued against that was Lady Mormont who insisted she would not let her soldiers go without her. Sansa chuckled at the memory of the discussion between Lyanna and Daenerys, who had tried to compare Lyanna’s fighting spirit to her own, Lyanna retorted that she was nothing like Daenerys and that she had no more fight than any other Northern woman.

 

The army leaving look so unlike the one that arrived. The men looked worn down and moved slower through the snow and their melancholy spirit. Jon was near the front next to Daenerys, he looked back at Winterfell and found Sansa eyes; just like before. She smiled, knowing this time he was not abandoning her and the North but instead going to fight for their independence on last time.

 

After the last man walked through the gate, she found herself feeling very much alone. She had spent years scared and alone; in King’s Landing, in the Vale, even here in Winterfell, but her loneliness had lessened since she had found her family and created a life here. It wasn’t the dream life she had always envisioned as a child but this was better because it was real. She could not fall to far into her own mind, because although she may feel alone she was not; there were still people to care for and plans to make for when everyone else came back.

 

She walked thought the castle answering questions and making quick decisions. She found herself in the Great Hall where most of the injured had been moved to, since the courtyard was needed for the collecting armies departure. She sat beside a woman’s sick bed dabbing a towel on her forehead gently, talking to her sweetly about the future that was to come. She changed bandages, fed soldiers who could not move, and generally took an active part in taking care of her people; which she found she liked very much and it distracted her from thoughts.

 

The one patient she did not see was her brother Bran. She walked toward his room and pushed the door open tenderly. He was laying in bed like always eyes closed but not completely unresponsive; she could see the movement under his eye lids, rapid shifting back and forward then up and down. He had been unconscious since the war, but he had never been as unresponsive as Jon had. Bran was able to swallow broth and every once in a while Sam would report jerking movements, but he never spoke or opened his eyes, he just lay there like he was in a fitful sleep.

 

Sansa sat beside him and brought a bowl of broth to his lips, as soon as his body could feel the liquid in his mouth he would begin to drink instinctively. She put the bowl down once it was about half gone, Sam told her and the other maid who cared for him that he should not have to much at one time but instead they should give him little sips more frequently.

 

Sansa always felt helpless when she watched Bran, even more than when she would watch Jon. She felt responsible for his current state, she should not have let him go to the Weirwood tree during the fight with the dead. With Jon and Arya, she had no control over them, she had to let them fight; but Bran could of been the Tree Eyed Raven down in the crypts with her, protected.

 

**Two** **Weeks** **Later**

 

Sansa knew she would not get news from Arya but she was disappointed that again Jon neglected to send her letters. She was in the dark, again, keeping herself occupied all day only to be to exhausted at night to think of anything at all; she either kept herself busy or she would let her mind wander and that was more dangerous than the exhaustion.

 

She made her way up to Bran’s room, where she spent every afternoon now, feeding him broth. She was surprised to see Sam there, he usually checked on him earlier in the day.

 

“Sansa” he said excitedly, “he has been very active today, since this morning he has been moving more than before and he is breathing heavier too. I’m not sure what it means, but I thought I should stay close to him today.”

 

“No need to explain,” Sansa said sitting on the other side of Brans bed, “I’m sure you doing your best. I want to thank you for everything you have done for my family.”

 

Sam blushed lightly, “Jon is like my brother, it has been my honor to serve House Stark. I should be the one thanking you, for being so kind to Gilly and baby Sam, most people still don’t look kindly on people from North of the Wall.”

 

“Well now that the Wall is gone, people are just going to have to adapt. Beside Gilly has been a savior for many of the children left behind after the battle. She is a natural with them.”

 

They sat in silence for a while watching Bran when all of a sudden he sucked in a breath and his eyes shot open. He was gasping for air and Sansa could see tears slipping down his face. He did not seem upset, he was the same stoic unreadable Bran who had told Sansa that she looked pretty during her wedding to Ramsay; so the tears must be from physical pain and not emotional. After a while he caught his breath and relaxed back into bed.

 

“Drogon is dead” he said before he looked at Sam, “take me to the Weirwood Tree.”

 

“Wait, no Bran you just woke up after weeks of being unconscious you can’t possibly go outside now” Sansa could not believe these Stark men, unable to relax and recuperate.

 

“I have to, I have to find a way back into the fight at King’s Landing.”

 

“How do you know about the fight? And about Drogon?” It was catching up to Sansa that Bran had said Drogon was dead but he was the last one left alive. Unless...

 

“I have been stuck inside Drogon since the battle. I was in Rhaegal at first because he was easier to control, but when he died I jumped into Drogon. It must have been to much to fast, Drogon had a stronger mind, and I just got stuck. Battling for control, I could not come back to my body. At least not while he was alive, but when he died I got thrown back into my body.”

 

Sansa was panicked she had endangered her brothers life again by planning out the death of Daenerys and her dragon. Thank the Gods that he was thrown back into his body and not killed or Sansa would never of been able to forgive herself.

 

“So the plan worked” Sansa whispered more to herself than to the other two bodies in the room.

 

“Plan?” For once Bran was in the dark, it must of been because he was trapped in the dragons body, so he only learned abut what Drogon could see.

 

Sansa could hear Sam explain the plan but Sansa was to excited to listen in on it. That was until she heard Bran respond.

 

“Yes it worked Daenerys and Drogon are dead, but I have to go back and check on Jon.”

 

Sansa’s joy was short lived, it was like she was being submerged into an icy river, “What do you mean?”

 

“I saw Jon below me when Drogon went down, he was fighting with Daenerys’ army.”

 

“That can’t be! He was not supposed to be there!” Sansa was panicked, what went wrong, how could see not see this coming, why was she not prepared.

 

“Sam take me to the Gods Wood.”

 

Sansa sat there helplessly drowning in her own mind as Sam picked up Bran and put him in his chair. She followed them blindly through the castle and into the woods. She stood beside them for hours, shivering and lost in thought. They waited for Bran to have a vision of what was happening but he never did, he was too weak, his mind too worn out from the last time. Once the darkness crept in Sansa forced them to go inside, no one really wanted to but they could not stay outside much longer.

 

Inside Sansa got Bran some more filling food and sat by his side. Bran sat there staring blankly into the fire and Sansa was staring blankly at him, they were both waiting for something to happen. Even when Bran finally fell asleep Sansa did not move from his side, hoping he would see something in his dreams.

 

Days went by with no new visions, Sansa could see how hard he was trying but nothing came of it. One day he called her to his room, she rushed to him thinking he had seen something but when she arrived he told her he was leaving.

 

“You can’t leave” she said firmly.

 

“I have to go North beyond the Wall.”

 

“There is no more Wall.”

 

“I can only get better at being the Three Eyed Raven if I leave Winterfell and go North. I am not Bran anymore I was never going to stay here forever.”

 

“You are still Bran to me,” Sansa was crying softly “at least wait for Jon and Arya to come back.”

 

“They may never come back” his unfeeling demeanor shocked Sansa.

 

“Of course they will come back. How could you even... You are staying here until they get back. This is not negotiable.” Sansa was firm, staring him down daring him to argue with her. When he didn't she stood up and left his room.

 

It was several more days until she got a letter addressed to her from no source

 

_Sansa_ ,

 

_Daenerys would not let Jon leave her side, she might of been getting suspicious. She is dead and so is her dragon but Jon got hurt in the fight. The Maester here assures he will be fine. Cersei is dead and the Gold Company will be leaving with their piles of gold. It worked._

_Arya_

Sansa could breath for the first time since Bran had woken up with the terrible news about Jon. He was hurt but safe. She knew it would take them longer to come home, because of his injuries, but they would come home.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course as soon as I set a time limit for myself I fail miserably but here it is my final chapter.

Sansa was receiving weekly letters now from either Arya or Jon. They were moving slowly, like she anticipated, but not just because of Jon’s injury; the sun was shining for longer, now that winter was over, and it was melting the top layers of snow, however at night it would re-freeze and become more like ice than snow. Sansa was excited for spring but was sad that it was slowing down the progression North.

 

She had done so much in the month since Jon left for Kings Landing. The glass garden was almost completed and the first baby was born inside the walls of Winterfell. Sansa was there for the whole thing, helping the mother the same way she did the wounded soldiers. When the baby boy was born the mother placed him in her arm and told her to pick a name. Sansa thought about it, Jon would be embarrassed if she named the baby after him, chances are Ned and Robb would become very common names, she landed on Rickon. The forgotten Stark son, the one who would live through this little baby; Sansa could remember the first time her mother had handed Rickon to her, she had the same thought she had now with this baby, _one day I will have a baby just like you._

When the baby started to cry Sansa handed him back to his mother to feed. She said her good byes to the mother and the other women who helped through the birthing process. She walked around Winterfell finally comfortable enough with her own thoughts. It had been so long since Sansa had allowed herself to dream, to wish, and that is what she did.

 

Bran was sitting near the Weirwood Tree, as always, staring into space.

 

“I need to leave, they are getting closer.”

 

“Who is?” Sansa could feel her heart skip a beat, was it another Night King or worse.

 

“Jon and Arya.”

 

Sansa let out a sigh of relief, “That is great. Once they get here we can all discuss you leaving.”

 

“I can’t wait for them, they won’t understand.”

 

“I don't understand” Sansa said exasperated.

 

“But you do, you had to leave home to learn who you were. I need to leave in order to find out who I can be.”

 

Sansa thought about it for a awhile, she wished he was wrong but all the terrible things that had happened to her had turned her into the person she was; maybe it was fate he should leave again. She had learned that you cant fight fate.

 

She sighed, “What will I tell the others?”

 

“Tell them I need to get stronger, that I had to leave.”

 

“Some of the Wildlings are heading back up North, I’ll ask if they will take you with them. If they say no you have to stay her until Jon and Arya get back.”

 

“They won’t say no” then Bran drifted into another vision and was lost to her.

 

Brand left with the Wildings the next day.

 

Sansa pushed through her sorrow and continued to work day and night getting Winterfell back to its former glory. Every afternoon she would go to the Weirwood tree, some days she would try to pray while others she just enjoyed the quit. One day several weeks after Bran had left she could hear a horn blowing in the distance, she raced up the battlements and looked out over the ice sheet covered fields. There in the distance was a smattering of little black dots on the top of the hill. It was Jon and his army.

 

As soon as Jon made it through the gate she ran to him, not caring if it was improper for her to leave the welcoming party. He vaulted of his horse and caught her in his arms. They stayed like that for a while, until Sansa noticed they were blocking the gate. She let go of him and moved to the side so that everyone else could join their families as well.

 

One such reunion made her smile, Gendry had stayed behind when Arya left and their reunion was just as joyous as hers and Jons.

 

Over the next couple of days Sansa planed her wedding to Jon, it would be quick and simple. Very unlike her first marriage and as different as she could make it from her second. The real difference she found was within herself and not the dress or the guests or anything else. She was not as nervous, or maybe it was just a different kind of nervous. This was her decision, she had the power to choose, and it was a different kind of pressure to know that she was in control of her life, of her marriage, of her future.

 

The day she walked down the isle toward Jon, who was waiting patiently in front of the Weirwood tree, was the day she felt the true difference between this marriage and her others. She could clearly remember her walk to Tyrion and Ramsay, it had felt like she was being pushed, like her feet were moving forward simply because they could not go backward; but this walk was different, this time she could feel the pull, she was walking toward something better, someone better. She was looking ahead, into the eyes of her soon to be husband, instead of the end of her freedom. This marriage would be different, not just because her heart loved him but because she had made the choice to love him.

 

The days after their wedding were just as hectic, they had celebrated for two days and then had a proper formal coronation for both her and Jon. Jon had been more quiet and distant than usual, they had no even consummated their marriage yet, and Sansa went to go find him to speak about their marriage and their future. She could not find him anywhere, he was in none of his usual spots, the Gods Wood or the crypt. She asked everyone she passed until she came across a serving girl who told her that he was in the Great Hall.

 

She pushed open the door and sure enough he was sitting silently alone at the head table. She walked to him, going around the table to his side and stood in front of him.

 

“I’ve been looking all over for you” she was concerned, he never hid away and ignored his responsibilities.

 

“I got another letter” he handed her an open letter from another Southern family, this one she was not familiar with.

 

“If we don’t start responding their going to travel North to pledge themselves to you in person” she had informed him of this many times but until now he had not seemed to care much about what they did.

 

“I can’t do it” it came out like a pleading whisper to the Gods.

 

“Do what?”

 

“I can’t be King of the Seven Kingdoms.”

 

“Of course you can. They believe in you and so do I.”

 

“Sansa, I don’t want to be King. I accepted being King of the North because the North is my home, our home, and it called me to serve it, but I don’t want to be King of the Seven Kingdoms. I should not be King of the Seven Kingdoms” this was the first time he had been clear about what he wanted and it did not surprise her, although based on his nervous look it was clear he was concerned about how she was going to take this revelation.

 

She sat in the chair next to him and grabbed his hand, “Ok, I’ll send letters to all the Houses who have pledged themselves to you, politely declining the seat of power.”

 

“You would do that?”

 

“Yes, Jon, I was serious when I said that I was not marrying you for power; the North and our family are the only things that I care about now. Although I do think we should put families we trust in the positions of power left empty from the wars.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“The Seven Kingdoms were just that, seven independent Kingdoms and it can be like that again. My cousin Robbin will be easy to control although we will have to watch over him so he is not get taken advantage of, but we should have no problem making him King of the Vale. My uncle Edmure would be a faithful ally as the King of the Riverlands. If you legitimize Gendry as a Baratheon he could be King of the Stormlands and he would be an excellent choice of husband for Arya. You could ask Sam if he would like to go back home to the Reach, with the decimation of the noble houses there, he would be the obvious chose of ruler; and he is like a brother to you so we could trust him. No one has seen Tyrion since Daenerys was killed but I’m sure he’ll come back and we can instill Jamie as King until he comes out of hiding. As for Dorne, they’ve always been a bit wild so we can leave them to figure out their own line of succession, and with the rest of the Kingdoms united, not under a single ruler but a peace agreement between the Kings, Dorne would not dream of raising arms against us. Jon you don’t have to be King of the Seven Kingdoms but you are to beloved and well respected to completely hide away from the politics of the South.”

 

Jon brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently, “Then it is a good thing I have you to show me the way.”

 

She smiled at him softly, she was pleased that she could relieve some of the stress he had been feeling about being in power.

 

“Sansa, I love you.”

 

Her eye shot open and looked at him. It was the first time he had said those words to her and she could feel it in her soul, “I love you too Jon.”

 

She stood up and pulled him out of his chair, they both leaned into each other and kissed. This was the first kiss that they had shared that was just about their own happiness and love but it would not be the last.

 

“Now come, we have work to do and a family to start” she smiled at him coyly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might have another chapter in me about the future so let me know if that would be interesting to anyone or if you think this ends well enough. 
> 
> Also thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with me and read this fanfiction. I was so nervous to wright down and publish the stories I’ve had in my head for years, but everyone has been so great and I really appreciate everyone making this an excellent first experience!!!  
> Love you guys ❤️❤️❤️


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